


The Failings of Assumption

by DarkJediQueen



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Romance, mutant AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 05:20:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 92,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20791283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkJediQueen/pseuds/DarkJediQueen
Summary: Aaron Hotchner had always hidden what he was from nearly everyone. He hid it from his parents and the world until he met Haley Brooks. He told Haley that he was a mutant but never told anyone else. Now it's much later in life and he's figured out that never telling has left him trapped when it comes to someone that he has come to care for.Spencer Reid was a mutant, everyone knew that. His IQ, his reading speed, and his eidetic memory are all facets of his mutation. This is what everyone always told him. Spencer though didn't believe it. Until in the aftermath of being exposed to Anthrax actually activated his gene, no one else believed Spencer. Now Spencer's trying to cope with new powers and the potential loss of his best friend. All while the whole team is on edge with George Foyet targeting their boss.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> **Year**: Season 4 Forward  
**Spoilers**: Up Through Season 5  
**Notes**: Not an X-Men/Marvel crossover.  
**Beta**: Grammarly

# Prologue

## Summer 1986

Spencer Reid looked around the room that he was in. He was alone at the moment because his Mom and Dad had left the room when the doctor had come back in after doing something to the blood that had been taken earlier in the visit. Spencer was still perplexed about why they were at the doctor's office. Spencer hadn't been sick in weeks. He had had a summer cold, and that was it, but he had been over that for two weeks and three days. Spencer frowned and looked down to see that the sliding plank was still open to allow him to get on and off of the table. He carefully climbed down and walked over to the magazine rack that was on the wall. He climbed onto the chair to go through the magazines there because he was bored and he had read the three books that he had brought to keep him entertained.

With two magazines in hand, Spencer walked back to the table. He laid the magazines down on the table, behind where he was going to be sitting before he climbed up. He had guessed the distance exact on where to place the magazines to where he didn't sit on them or put his hands on them and possibly have them slide, and he hit the floor. While he was already at the doctor's, he didn't want to hurt his head and have to be taken to the emergency room. Spencer didn't like to go there. He had been there the year before when he had broken his arm at the park while trying to play with some other kids his age. His father had been upset because it meant that he couldn't take part in the sports that fall, but Spencer had been very glad of that.

Spencer didn't like sports. Spencer knew that his father wanted him to be a typical boy, but Spencer didn't know how to be the average kid that his father wanted him to be. Spencer only knew how to be him. Spencer wasn't sure that he wanted to be anyone else. Flopping onto his back, Spencer settled down with the first magazine. It didn't look that interesting, but it was full of people, and the images were interesting, and he hoped it held his attention for a little while. Flipping through, Spencer made it seventeen pages before he closed the magazine and laid it down at his side. He picked up the second one and smiled at the image of DNA on the front. Spencer wanted a subscription to Scientific American, but his dad didn't think that he needed it. Spencer instead read it at his local library. This was the newest edition, and Spencer was shocked that it was available at the doctor's office as it wasn't exactly a high priority for many of the people that Spencer knew.

The door opening had Spencer looking to make sure that it wasn't someone who it shouldn't be before he went back to his magazine. It was his father. Spencer didn't say anything to him. There wasn't a lot that was said between them these days.

Spencer heard him moving around the room and glanced once as his father sat down in the chair across the room. Furthest away from Spencer. Spencer stopped letting what the man did hurt him a while back.

"Spencer," the doctor said as he opened the door. Spencer didn't like the man that much so he didn't even try and remember his name. Spencer closed the magazine and sat up, looking at the doctor. Behind the man was Spencer's mother and he was very happy that she was there. "Do you know why you are here today?"

"No, William thought that it would go better if he did not know why he was coming here," Spencer's mom said.

"I see. Well, Spencer, the blood that we took from you is going to be tested. Our machine to test it has broken, and we can't fix it, so we have to send it off to be tested elsewhere. Have you felt different over the last little while?"

"I had a cold but other than that I've felt the same since I broke my arm."

"I see and what changed after you broke your arm?"

"I got a lot more reading done because I couldn't play outside for a while. I figured out that I really like science and math. I can read really fast, and I can remember everything that I read."

"Oh, really?" The doctor walked over to the cabinet and picked out a book. He walked back to Spencer and held out the book. Spencer read over the title before taking it. "Open up to page three hundred and three please."

Spencer flipped through the book before he found the page number that the doctor said. Spencer looked at the words on the page, his eyes taking them in like they did everything that was in written format.

"Can you tell me what's on the page?" The doctor asked when Spencer looked up at him again. The book was removed from Spencer's hands. He started to recite it word for word. There were a few ones that he stumbled over. The doctor was friendly and helped him sound out the words before he went on.

"Well?" Spencer's father asked.

"He read it word for word. More testing obviously needs to be done to figure out his exact IQ as well as his reading speed, but I would say that if he tests for the gene, then yes he is active and it probably happened when he broke his arm." The doctor shut the book.

Spencer wasn't sure what they were talking about. He looked at his parents before looking at the doctor. Spencer wasn't sure what exactly was going on. He had no clue what would need to be tested in his blood because of his IQ. He looked down at his hands. He found that sometimes if he weren't looking at adults, they would forget that he was there and talk like he wasn't there.

"He's a bright boy, and that's it." His mom sounded angry, and Spencer wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

"No, Ma'am if he tests as high as IQ's like this, his reading ability, as well as the memory, are all genetic mutations. They are only found in Mutants."

Spencer kept his gasp to himself. He looked at his fingernails and forced himself not to look up. Spencer knew about Mutants. When he had looked up his own unique genetic traits, he had learned all about them. He had also seen the discussions on if people with traits like his were really Mutants or not. There was some that thought that they had the Mutant gene, but it hadn't been activated yet, and their actual mutations would come later.

"So he is a Mutant?" The tone that Spencer's father asked the question sent a chill down Spencer's spine. He usually only heard that when it was a big case, his father was questing after he was acquired and he knew he would get a lot of money for it.

"Yes, it's a formality at this point on waiting for the bloodwork to come back and tell us that he has the gene."

"Mutants don't run on either side of our families," Spencer's father said.

"It runs recessive in some families, just like certain visual traits. A perfect storm it's called. I will call you as soon as we have the results in. The moment." The doctor shook Spencer's parents' hands before Spencer was ushered off the table and out the door.

Spencer kept his head down as he walked out of the room and down the hall. He didn't know what he wanted, but he didn't want to be a Mutant. Spencer liked the feeling that he was special just because he was special not because he was a Mutant. Spencer had met a few Mutants, mostly the ones who had visual mutations to go with their genetic ones, and it wasn't the fact that he didn't want to be a Mutant because of that. He didn't want to be a Mutant because he just wanted to be Spencer Reid, genius, not Spencer Reid, Mutant.

Getting into the backseat, Spencer put on his seatbelt and watched as his parents got into the car.

"He could make us a lot of money," Spencer's father said.

"He's a child, William. He's a child who doesn't need to be made a circus act of. He needs to be taught to nurture this mutation of his and not become a sideshow freak who performs for the highest bidder."

"The Government has been sniffing around for kids like him. Think about what they could give us."

"For experimentation? No. I won't agree to it."

Spencer tuned his parents out. He tucked his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. If he pushed hard enough on his mind, he could go to other places. He could slip into Wonderland or even Narnia. The places where he was special just because he was plain old Spencer Reid. He knew he would be forced back out when they got home, but even a few minutes was worth it.

## Summer 1993

Aaron looked at the buildings in front of him. He hadn't been back on Quantico land since he had graduated the Academy two years before. He had been in Seattle since then, working for a little while as a SWAT agent and then doing a few other kinds of cases after an injury had stopped him from being a doorbuster. Aaron hadn't felt this nervous about anything since he had quit his job as a prosecutor for the District Attorney and joined the FBI. There was nothing else to feel except for edgy. He didn't look nervous, though. That he had down pat.

Nothing broke the exterior that Aaron had created. Hotch, as his nickname was, was the same that Aaron had taken on in more ways than one. Hotch was the crack shot agent, the man who didn't smile. Sometimes Aaron didn't wonder if Hotch was taking over more than Aaron, but there was nothing to do to help it.

"Lost?" a voice asked.

"No, just soaking in being here since I haven't since graduation," Aaron said as he turned to look at the man beside him. He looked like a teacher more than a Federal Agent, but Aaron knew the man from his face. It was hard not to when Aaron had been reassigned to the BAU, Behavioural Analysis Unit. It used to be the Behavioural Science Unit, and Aaron knew the nickname it used to have. It had proven itself as a Unit that was needed.

Aaron knew that the BAU had been growing by leaps and bounds and Aaron was one of the first new agents added that were going to help get the Unit even better.

"Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, Agent Gideon. Agent Rossi is expecting me." Aaron held out his hand for Jason Gideon to shake.

"Oh, yes. David told me that you were coming today." Gideon looked Aaron up and down before he shook Aaron's hand. "Why don't you come up with me? I can give you the penny tour."

"Penny, huh? It's not worth more than that?"

"It's not big enough to charge more than that." Gideon's tone was a little rough, and Aaron couldn't place it. He didn't know the man well enough and had only seen him give a lecture once at the Academy. He had been called away after that on cases.

Aaron followed Gideon through the checkpoint into the building, to the elevators and then up onto the sixth floor. The room was small but had a lot of room that could be made if the room to the side was opened into it. That room looked like it was empty.

"We are getting ready for a renovation to open up into the room next to us as well. Here." Gideon pointed up to a short set of steps that led up into two offices. Rossi was in the first one that they came to.

"Oh, Jason, you found him." Rossi stood up and offered his hand. "Welcome, Hotch."

"Thank you. I am glad to be here." Aaron looked around the office. It was evident that Rossi had been in it for a while. Aaron turned to look down into the very small bullpen. He wondered which desk was going to be his.

"For right now the bullpen is staying like it is. When the other side is fully renovated, then a few agents are going to move into the other room on the far side, and the wall is going to come down. Those areas will be finished and then the far side of the room. So, for now, you are going to use one of the desks closer to the other room. When the renovation is all said and done, you will have the choice of desks for now just grab one. I'll get your files, and you can read them over, and then you and I can discuss what you think of them."

Aaron looked at the desks and saw that only one was in a place that he wouldn't mind staying in. Aaron turned back to Rossi to see that the man was looking at Gideon, who was looking at Aaron. Aaron wondered if the desk choice was a test. He looked back at the desks and decided that it didn't matter which desk he chose, Gideon would see something more profound, and Aaron wasn't going to choose a different desk just to try and mess with the man. There was only a single desk that didn't have a line of sight from a window, and that was all that Aaron cared out. His time in SWAT was still a little too close. Too many deaths at his own hand from shots like that.

"I'll take that one," Aaron said as he pointed at the one he wanted. He heard Gideon's snort and then the man was walking away.

"Don't mind him. One of the other agents will gladly show you where you can get supplies. The computer should let you log on with the standard one that you use. If you need anything, just give a holler."

Aaron watched Rossi went back into his office. The door was open, but there wasn't a lot that would get an agent to invade. Aaron looked down at the three other agents that were down there. He wondered if they had the same kind of welcome or if they were actually made to feel like they were a part of the team. Aaron wasn't going to ask but just in case that they had got the same, he was going to make sure that anyone else who joined the BAU wasn't left to flounder like he was.

Pushing himself, Aaron went through the files that Rossi talked about and got himself nice and ready for working in the BAU full time. It wasn't going to be hard, physically but mentally, Aaron knew that he was going to have to find ways to let his mind rest between cases. There was one expeditious way, but it would also be the most dangerous, but it wasn't going to be an option until Aaron found land in the wilds of Virginia to buy.

Leaving at eight p.m. Aaron found that the City of Quantico nightlife wasn't much, so he went back to DC. He had found a nice apartment that he liked until he found a house for him to move into. Aaron, unlike many others, wanted to have a place that was home. Aaron had missed having a house in Seattle, but he knew that he was always going to be going home to Virginia in one way, shape, or form.

There was a bar two blocks from Aaron's apartment, and after parking in the lot for the building, Aaron walked that distance. He made sure that his gun was safe in the car, and his ID was on his person. It was interesting to see the difference between DC and Seattle just in people.

Someone bumped into Aaron as he opened the door to the bar. He looked at the person and stared a little at the eyes the man had. He was obviously a Mutant who had some kind of power or ability that had to do with a reptile because that was the eyes that were staring back at him looked like. The fight against Mutant rights had slowly faded to the background as it became more and more apparent that it wasn't just a few here and there. By the early seventies, it was nearly a quarter of the world's population, and it only grew from there. It had settled around half of the world's population by the nineties.

There were still those that didn't like Mutants, but it was hard to be racist against them when they made up half of the population. Well, there were still holdouts, but those were dropping more and more, and they lost everything.

"You look like you are working to forget," a man said from beside Aaron. Aaron looked at him and frowned as he took in the tight clothes. There was not a single thing out of place on the man. Also, there was little left to the imagination on what was under the clothes.

"Not tonight, tonight I am looking to drink." Aaron didn't indulge that often because there were consequences of that, but he liked the taste of good scotch.

"Do you mind a friend while you do that?" the man asked.

Aaron narrowed his eyes at the man. That was when he saw what the man was trying to hide. "Sure. I would love a friend."

The man slipped close to him, and the scent of the man came over Aaron. He seemed like an average human, but it was hard sometimes to tell a Mutant from a regular Human. The man, though, was covered in cologne. The man tucked his arm into Aaron's, and Aaron led him into the bar only to hear catcalls from across the road. Aaron looked back to see the man at his side, flipping the people off. Aaron found a booth in the corner that was more darkness than light, and he pushed the man into it.

"Have a preference?"

"No."

Aaron walked up to the bar and ordered two doubles of the best scotch. The bartender was quick as it seemed like the bar only held a few that were not locals, but the night was still young. When Aaron got back to the table, he found that the man had slumped down into the booth with his leg spread across to the other. He was a picture of comfort.

"My name is Aaron."

"Jake." The man pushed up enough to offer his hand, and Aaron shook it after setting down the drinks. Aaron slipped into the seat opposite Jake. "Did I look that pathetic?"

"I know a man who is too mired in grief for his own good. And it seemed that you weren't looking for a good time as a way to get away from a bad one."

"My friends, as well-meaning as they are, just don't understand that I need to grieve in my own way and if that is burying myself in work and not going out and destroyed the city, well then it's best that way."

"I fell in love with a woman once. I thought that she was going to be it. I was picturing kids and white picket fences and being the perfect family."

"What happened?" Jake asked before he tipped his head back and down his entire tumbler of scotch in one go.

"I told her I was a Mutant and she left me. What happened to you?"

"I met Ethan when I was fourteen. We were fast friends. Then we became more. He supported me through culinary school, and I busted my ass to get a good job so he could go to law school. He graduated, and I was so happy. He passed the bar, and we were out celebrating. A group of people took offense to the gay couple celebrating and attacked. It was a lucky shot with a thrown bottle as the group was running from the cops. He was checking me over for scrapes, and then he was dropping down. He was in a coma for six weeks before he died six months ago."

"I saw that in the paper. Made me want to do my new job even more."

"Cop?"

"Federal agent, FBI. BAU. I was a lawyer, but I hated putting away the bad guys and wanted to start to catch them before they became what they are. It just took some time to get into the BAU. Today was my first day."

"Let's celebrate, then!" Jake shoved himself up and out of the booth, and he walked to the bar. When he came back, he had two more tumblers with scotch in them and two very bright pink drinks. Aaron eyed those and but Jake slide one over to him. "Try it!"

Aaron scooted the glass close and took a sip. He made a face because while it was pink, it wasn't a weak drink.

"It's gonna knock me on my ass. So Aaron, Mister FBI. I'll make you a deal you let me drink and cry and do whatever I want as the first step in not going out and setting this city on fire and tomorrow for dinner you are going to come to my restaurant, and I'm going to cook you a meal that will make your cock hard."

Aaron choked on the drink he was taking and cleared his throat before he tried to talk.

"You want to what?"

"You heard me. I saw the eye you were giving me. I'm nowhere near ready for even just meaningless sex with a random stranger, even if my friends think I do. So friends? You look like you need a friend just as much as I do."

Aaron looked at Jake and saw the grief in his eyes, his the way he held his body, but there it was just a little less, and Aaron knew that he needed a friend as well. And maybe Jake was the perfect person for that role.

"Friends." Aaron raised up his pink drink, and Jake clinked his against it before they both took a sip. Jake smiled, and Aaron felt the smile breaking out on his face as well. He could really get behind a new friend.

## Spring 1998

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" Aaron asked. He was looking at Rossi with a close eye. The man wasn't known to be that big of a joker, but maybe the man had finally decided that Aaron was worth messing with.

"You are now lead profiler," Rossi repeated.

Aaron knew that he had been doing really well in the BAU. Even if it was decidedly more lone wolf than he thought it was going to be. Rossi did his thing, Gideon always did his own, and then the rest were left to flounder a little. There were times that they worked together, but more often than not, it was flying someone alone and working.

The position of lead profiler was as close to Unit Chief as Aaron was going to get as long as Rossi and Gideon were in the Unit. Rossi was on his way out, even the newer profilers knew that. Gideon was there to stay though, and he was going to remain as Unit Chief. The bump in pay was excellent, and it would allow Aaron to do a few things he had been wanting to do, but the increase in work almost made it not worth it.

"Strawler has already approved it?" Aaron asked.

"Yes. He wants to make sure that you have a good grasp of it before I leave. So I'm stepping back and will help Jason run the other aspects of the unit while you step into my role."

"There are others who had been here longer." Aaron wasn't going to turn it down for that reason, but he felt that he should at least make a token effort.

"And you are the rising star, you understand the people that we hunt better than any other agent we have trained since this unit started. No one is going to be upset about you getting the position."

Aaron didn't believe that, but he let Rossi keep that belief. There was no office, not yet for the position. Instead, Aaron stayed at his desk. He would until Rossi retired.

A quick phone call to Jake before he went to work to share the good news and then Aaron was set off on working. Learning his new position. It took Aaron little time to realize that Rossi had been grooming him for that position for a very long time. Aaron was a bit upset that he hadn't noticed.

Eight o'clock hit and Aaron packed up for the night. There were a lot of files left on his desk, but Aaron knew that he couldn't stay any longer without Jake calling him nonstop until he did leave. The drive from Quantico to the edge of DC where Jake's restaurant was let Aaron relax. He parked in the spot that was reserved for Jake. Who had walked to work that morning because it had been such a beautiful day. At least, according to Jake, when Aaron had called.

"Agent Hotchner," the hostess greeted with a smile. She didn't move to escort him as Aaron knew precisely where he was going, and there wasn't a person in the place that was going to stop him. Jake's chef table was set up and ready for Aaron, placement for two prepared for eating. There was a bottle of wine on the table and a plate of bruschetta there. Aaron didn't even wait for Jake to sit down from where he was giving orders to his staff.

The growl of Aaron's stomach drew a few laughs from the dessert staff working nearest the table to the chef's table. Aaron finished off his half of the appetizer before Jake even realized that he was there. Jake gave him a wave before one of his staff did something foolish and drew the man's ire. Aaron was enjoying watching him and didn't realize that one of the crew had got close until he heard the clink of a plate.

Aaron looked down at the plate to see that it was a ball of raw cookie dough. Aaron grinned at the man who set it down and picked it up with his fingers to eat it.

"Thanks," Aaron said around the dough in his mouth. While it was bad manners, Aaron didn't care. The staff was used to him, hence the treat of the dough. Aaron could hear his mother yelling at him about getting sick, but he had never heeded that. As long as the dough was cold, which it was, there was no risk of getting sick.

Aaron turned his attention to the dessert tables, watching the rolling of the dough and then the pressing of it into the recessed baking sheets. The dessert chef and his staff never had an issue, unlike the rest of the staff. Aaron enjoyed watching Jake as he berated his staff. There were some nights that it was the only thing that made his day worth anything.

"So, Lead Profiler?" Jake asked as he finally sat down. He grabbed his first bite of the appetizer and shoved the whole thing into his mouth.

"Yes. Rossi is retiring so they want me to take over that part before he leaves."

"So when you do you get an office?" Jake asked, his eyebrows waggling.

Aaron shoved at him but laughed as he took a sip of his wine. "When Rossi leaves."

"Damn. I was looking forward to you fucking me over the desk as a welcome to the job thing."

The blush on Aaron's cheeks should not have been there, but it was, and Aaron was going to blame the wine if asked. The sexual side of the relationship was not new to them. It had started just six months after that night in the bar when they had met. Jake had come to Aaron's apartment, drunk as a skunk, and wanted sex. He was willing to go pay a prostitute to do it unless Aaron was going to put out. The attraction had been there the whole time but nothing more than that. They were the best of friends, exactly what each other needed. Aaron had invited Jake in, but sex hadn't come that night because as soon as Aaron had got him naked and on the bed, Jake had been fast asleep. The next morning though, Jake had woke Aaron with lips on his cock before he had ridden Aaron to their mutual completions.

It was easy after that to fall into bed together when either of them needed to scratch the itch that their hands couldn't take care of. Moving into Jake's house had come next just a year after they had met. Aaron had his room, and Jake has his own. The third story of the house was two massive bedrooms. The one that Aaron was in had been Seth, Jake's partner's office. The house was a perfect amalgamation of the two of them.

"That will have to wait until I'm in the office and it's still not a guarantee that I'll allow it."

"But it's not a flat out no." Jake grinned and shoved himself up and out of the booth before he walked to the oven and pulled out the pan that was in there.

Aaron watched Jake as he got the next course of their meal ready. Jake's Mutant ability was one of the things that marveled Aaron time and again. Jake was made for cooking and being a chef, so it was a good thing that he enjoyed it.

Mutant abilities were varied to a massive degree. No two people with the same one presented in the same way and yet there were some that were broad as day and narrow as a dot on the letter I. Jake was perfect at cooking. He knew by looking at something if it was done, he knew what was in something with just a single taste. He still had to learn to actually cook, the process of it. He didn't just know how to cut onions or sear food, but he knew when it was perfect. It was a fascinating ability, and if Aaron were more of a scientist, he would probably actually think about it more.

Jake didn't crowd Aaron when Aaron cooked, which was not that often, instead, Aaron was at H&D more often than anywhere else. There was no reason to cook when it was just him, and he was getting home from a case late.

"So what do we have?" Aaron asked as Jake set down two shallow bowls He looked at what was on top, and it looked like chili, but it was over the top of something.

"Grilled cheese covered in chili," Jake said with a smile.

Aaron knew that he would have to double his run the next morning. It was a large portion which meant that there wasn't probably going to be another course other than dessert. Or at least he hoped it was going to be that way. Aaron was reaching for his wine when a salad was sat down at the side of his plate.

"I figured that the chili was going to take a little to cool so a good salad would be nice. I had them put blue cheese on yours." Jake picked up his fork and smiled at the worker that sat down the salad beside him.

"Thanks," Aaron said to the lady, she was a newer one, and Aaron wondered who had left but couldn't remember Jake telling him that anyone had.

"You are welcome, Hotch."

Aaron heard his phone ringing and frowned. He pulled it free from the pocket that it was in and answered it. It was a quick conversation, and then Aaron hung up. He didn't have to leave that night but he would first thing in the morning.

"Where are you headed?" Jake asked after he finished chewing a bite of salad.

"Boston. Seems they have a serial killer there that the news has named the Boston Reaper."

## October 1999

Spencer frowned at the words that his mother was screaming at him as the men carried her out of the house. Spencer's heart wasn't broke, it had already been broken. He knew that this could be the single thing that could kill the woman that he loved more than anything in the world. Spencer couldn't take care of her anymore, not and have the life that she had wanted for him to have. To anyone who looked on from the outside, it would look like Spencer was choosing his happiness over the wellbeing of his mother. However, Spencer also knew that the woman who was there right now was not his mother. She would hate what she had become and hopefully, with time, she would remember that. Diana Reid had given everything for Spencer, her health, and her sanity, and it was a waste if he didn't try and become everything that she wanted him to be.

After intake, it was three days before Spencer could go and see her. Bennington Sanitarium was one of the better places in all of Nevada for people who had mental illnesses like his mother, and Spencer wanted his mother to have the best, which included basically blackmailing his father to pay for it in place of Spencer never telling the rest of his paternal family what exactly he had done. Spencer didn't feel good about what he had done when it came to that, but he would do anything to make sure that his mother was taken care of.

It was October and a new semester at Caltech so Spencer spent those three days before he could see his mother diving into school work. He didn't emerge until he got a call from Doctor Norman that told him that his mother was refusing to see him. That took the wind out of Spencer's sails, but he understood that the doctor wasn't going to force her to see him if there was any chance that it was going to harm her. It was a Tuesday night, and the only reason that Spencer knew that was because it was Taco day in the cafeteria. Spencer knew that he should be staying at Caltech, but he instead sent emails to his teachers and lied to them about his mother. All of the school staff knew what was going on. Before Spencer left, he heard from a few that a day off wasn't going to hurt him.

The whole damned school bent over backward for Spencer because he was a Mutant that they could make a spectacle of and regularly did. Spencer wouldn't be shocked if he was pressured into more than the three PhDs that he wanted.

Spencer knew of a place where he could go and get some quick cash. He had been hearing about it for a while and had tried a few times to go and get inside. However, until he turned eighteen, he wasn't allowed in. Spencer changed into clothes that put him as less than a nerdy genius student, and he made his way into the thick of the strip in Vegas.

Growing up in Vegas meant that nothing on the Strip surprised him. The Mutants who were on display, many regular humans thinking that it was costumes. Vegas has been the welcoming ground for all Mutants since Mutants had been found out. Vegas took them all. That was part of why he loved Vegas because here, no matter if he was a Mutant or not, he was welcome.

Spencer made the plan to not leave until he had the ten thousand dollars that he wanted. With that, he could get his mom all the things to keep her happy. Things like books and journals as well as an excellent meal from Binion's on the ninth of the month. They had gone when he was younger. Whenever the ninth fell on a weekend over the past years when he had been in California, he would go visit her.

"Finally, legal, huh?" the man at the door asked, and Spencer nodded in answer. "Well, fuck me. So what did I promise? Five hundred?"

"Yes," Spencer said as the man started to count out money. He handed it over. Spencer didn't even count it. Spencer had begged once a year before to be let in, and the man had promised him five hundred dollars the next time that he came and he was eighteen. Spencer didn't even flash his ID. The man was a truth-teller, there was no way to lie to him.

"Have fun in there, Doc. Make sure to give them hell."

Spencer walked through the door when it was opened for him. He looked at the Mutants who were everywhere. Spencer still didn't believe that his mutation was active, even if he did have the correct genes. The broken arm and not triggered his mutation, but no one believed him. They saw his IQ, his reading speed, and his memory as his mutation. A place like this was a haven for him, there was no rule in the whole of the place about using abilities. In fact, unlike human gambling joints, it was encouraged to try your hardest to beat some of the best Mutants at their own game. Spencer found the poker table that he wanted and sat down.

Everyone at that table looked at Spencer like he was fresh meat and he grinned back them with the same look. It didn't set them off their stride, but it sure helped them think that he was stupid.

Spencer walked out of there with just over ten thousand dollars, even after paying back the man at the door plus a little extra. The man was grinning. Spencer knew he would be back. He had a lot of fun.

## Spring 2000

Spencer looked at the hall because this was not what was supposed to be going on. This was supposed to be a Q&A session with a few of the doctoral students. Spencer was on tap to answer questions that a bunch of kids who were getting in over their heads was going to ask. Instead, it was a packed auditorium with a lot of students who Spencer knew from other classes. Spencer looked at the two men who were standing at the front of the auditorium. He had no clue who they were.

A spot was open at the front and given that it seemed the doctoral Q&A wasn't happening, Spencer decided to step up to the front of the room and take a seat that was in front, directly in front of the two men on the dais.

"Hello, my name is Jason Gideon, and since my friend here was in LA, he decided to stop by my lecture. This is David Rossi."

Spencer knew that he had heard those names before or read them, he just wasn't sure where he had seen the names before.

"We are two of the three founders of the Behavioural Analysis Unit. Does anyone here know what we do as profilers?" Gideon pointed at Spencer when he raised his hand.

"You provide behavioral-based investigative and/or operational support by applying case experience, research, and training to complex and time-sensitive crimes. Those crimes are typically acts or threats of violence to a person or a group of people."

"You are correct. What is your name?" Rossi said.

"Spencer Reid."

A few of the students around Spencer made comments that were covered in coughs or just laughed. Spencer ignored them like he had since he had joined academia. Nothing was gained from fighting with them.

"What's so funny?" Gideon asked.

"He acts like he's being modest, but he's not," one of the kids chimed up.

Spencer didn't know the voice. He kept his head up high and didn't look away from Gideon.

"He gave a name, how is that being modest?" Rossi asked.

"He's Doctor Reid. Has two PhDs to his name so far and is working on two other degrees. He likes to rub it in the faces of the rest of us."

"Oh, Doctor Reid, yes the Dean was telling me about you," Gideon said with a smile. There were a few noises that sounded like agreement. "She wanted me to meet with you to talk about seeing about getting you to give a lecture, but you keep on refusing because you don't like the spotlight of it."

Rossi smiled and shook his head. Spencer wondered what that was about.

"Did you know that one of the tools we use at the BAU is not just that we profile the crime scene, but we profile the victim. We try and figure out why this victim, why at that moment, and many other things. Sometimes that's just as telling as what the UnSub, the Unknown Subject that we are hunting does. There is also what the others around the victim think. Just like this. I see the looks on the faces of everyone here. I can see who are upset that Doctor Reid answered my question, but those people didn't even have their hands up. Then I see the ones that are upset at how Doctor Reid is being treated. Doctor Reid who graduated high school at age twelve. You there who mocked him. What is your GPA?"

Spencer heard the kid behind him rustling around in his seat. There was no answer.

"I think that the saying is don't throw stones in glass houses? Doctor Reid is a wonderful example of the kind of Agent that I want for the BAU. Intelligent and knowledgeable, while you look down on those around because they do better than you. Instead of putting yourself forward to do your best, you berate those who do better because they apply themselves. Two-point five, that's your GPA, right?"

Spencer heard the kid behind him getting up and leaving. The room as silent while he was doing it.

"After this is over, Doctor Reid, David and I would love to talk to you and have a meal."

"Sure." Spencer wasn't going to not answer because he wanted that dinner.

Spencer had been floundering as he tried to figure out what he wanted to do with his life and it seemed that it was dropped into his lap. Agent for the BAU sounded just about right.

## March 2005

"Reid, you are with me," Aaron said as he exited his office. He had his briefcase in hand. The newest agent on the team, who had only worked a single case with the team before the last looked up at him. Reid had joined in the worst way possible, but it wasn't on him, that was Gideon who now was on sabbatical after the disastrous end of the case before. Gideon hadn't even been there to greet Reid when they got back from the case. That had been left to Aaron who didn't mind. However, the young man was as skittish as a newborn colt.

"Sir, Hotch?" Reid questioned. He looked at Morgan across the desk from him and then at Aaron. He looked scared.

"You are coming to dinner at my place. We are going to talk."

"Yes, Sir." Reid started to gather his things. Shoving a lot of stuff into his messenger bag, the damned thing went everywhere with him. Aaron saw the defeat in his body language, but he wasn't going to make the young man calm down if he forced him into a confrontation there. Not in front of the other agents. Reid could one day be an excellent agent, but he needed a hand like the ones that Aaron and Morgan had and not Gideon.

Aaron expected Reid to say something on the near hour drive from Quantico to the house, but he said nothing. Reid commonly filled the silences with words, though that had been during the case, so Aaron wasn't sure it was how he was all the time.

As soon as Aaron had figured out that Gideon meant to put a freshly graduated agent onto the team, Aaron had gone to watch him at the Academy. Reid succeeded when he put his mind to it. He barely passed all of the physical aspects of the Academy, but he did do it. Sometimes it took a few tries and a little help.

"I didn't know that Gideon hadn't talked to you, Sir."

"My name is Hotch, Reid. You don't have to call me Sir."

"Yes, Sir," Reid said in answer.

Aaron figured that it was going to take time to get the young man settled to where he was comfortable enough to call him Hotch alone.

"I know that you are innocent in all of it, Reid. I'm sorry that my anger at Gideon has been taken out on you. Morgan will warm up to you in time."

"Morgan doesn't like me because I am a Mutant, Sir."

"He's distrustful of you but doesn't hate you. Your mutation is a little more benign when it comes to mutations, and Morgan will adjust."

"I can't believe that I am the first Mutant on the team."

"You are the first open on the team. As long as an agent proves that their mutation is not a threat to the team, they can keep it under wraps."

"I know the FBI looks at mutations just like sexuality. It's nice to be included like that. Even if I don't think that my mutation is active."

"What?" Aaron wanted to look at Spencer, but he was pulling into the driveway of the house. Jake was not at home, which was an excellent thing to Aaron because Reid would not be able to handle his housemate at all. Aaron would also have to fight more to get the younger man to open up if Jake was there.

"I was tested for the gene when I was five. The gene is not different in active Mutant or inactive ones. There is nothing except for the abilities. My parents thought that I turned active when I broke my arm when I was four because it's when I guess I really started to show my genius. I was reading when I was two, and when I was four and broke my arm I got to read a lot because of the kind of break that I had, I had to be very inactive for a while. There was no hiding that I was a Mutant, so it wasn't like I had a thought about that when I joined the FBI."

"So you don't think that you are an active Mutant, but everyone else does?" Aaron had never heard of that before.

Reid shrugged his shoulders. Aaron wondered what that was like, believing something about your own person and no one believing it. Aaron wasn't even sure that he believed it. In his tenure as a member of the BAU, he had seen enough Mutants who thought that they were not Mutants at all; usually, there were more disastrous results other than just accepting it. Though Reid did not deny he was a Mutant just that he wasn't active.

Aaron got out of the car, and Reid followed him. Reid followed him all the way into the house and never left his side. If Aaron hadn't gone into the kitchen, Reid probably would have stayed in the foyer. Reid's eyes went everywhere in the kitchen. Taking in all of the devices that were scattered everywhere as well as the rack of exotic spices, but he didn't touch, he didn't move.

"I might not have wanted you on the team, Reid but you are here, and I'm going to do my best to make sure that you don't fail."

"Thank you, Sir."

Aaron closed his eyes before opening the cabinet that had the pan he wanted in it. He set it on the stove and turned it on, grabbing the pitcher of water to fill it. He knew from the case that Reid liked pasta and given Reid's size, Aaron thought that he could do with a little weight gain.

"Hamburger, meatballs, or sausage?"

"Excuse me?" Reid asked. He looked at Aaron, taking his eyes off of the list that was on the fridge.

"Which do you want in the sauce?"

"Oh, um." Reid frowned a little. "Any of them. I'm not picky."

Aaron picked meatballs from the fridge as well as the container of sauce that was left from three days before. Jake had brought home a good bit, and it had been left in there for Aaron. On a whim, Aaron grabbed the quartered sausage as well and dumped it in.

"Why did you want to join the BAU?"

"I saw a lecture by Gideon and Agent Rossi, and it intrigued me. I spent a week researching everything about the BAU I could get my hands on. I fell in love with the science of it but also the fact that it's a good job. It's a hard one, but it does a lot of good. I'm not built for normal policing. I can't bust down doors and chase UnSubs eighteen blocks. I am good for this though."

"I think you can be a good agent, Reid. I'm not sure if you are cut out for the BAU, but I am going to make sure that it's not for lack of trying, on anyone's parts. Morgan will come around as soon as he gets to know you. His reasons are his own on why he dislikes Mutants, but he's a good agent, and he doesn't let that dislike color what we do. He dislikes Mutants in his personal life, but once he gets to know you, it'll be okay."

Reid shrugged.

Aaron knew that Reid had a few issues at Caltech, Gideon had made sure that Aaron knew what he had gone through, to make sure that no one did stuff like it to him as breaking him in as an agent.

Reid wasn't that talkative through the rest of dinner. He drank wine, and the more he drank, the more sullen he got. The talking, Aaron's talking about prior cases, was moved to the living room and Reid fell asleep on the couch. Aaron just watched him sleep for a few minutes before he got up to help Reid get settled on the couch. Aaron wasn't going to carry him up to the guest rooms. Aaron would drop him off at his apartment the next morning and let him go into work late.

"So this is Doctor Reid?" Jake asked, his voice a whisper as he got close. Jake looked tired.

"Yes."

"He's damned beautiful. I can see why you are enamored of him."

"I'm not," Aaron said, and even to him, the words sounded hollow.

"Hmm." Jake grinned as he hummed his answer at Aaron. Jake stepped up and brushed the hair away from where it had fallen on Reid's face. "You keep telling me that, and at some point, I'm sure we will both agree. Let's see how long it takes for you to get him into bed. Take too long, and someone else might do it."

Aaron glared at Jake before tugging him away from Reid. He didn't want the younger man waking up to find two men leering at him. Aaron would deal with Jake and just make sure to not talk about Reid as much. Neither one of them needed the added trouble of a relationship, especially since Reid was almost like a dog in his want of doing good. Aaron knew that he could twist and mess him up quickly. This was better. Nothing was better.


	2. Chapter 1

# Chapter 1

## April 2009

Spencer stared at the coffee pot as it started to finally pour out dark gold. Spencer wanted a huge cup of coffee, but he would have to settle for large because the cup that he had was small. Well small for him. His old cup that Morgan had made fun of had disappeared three weeks before and the only point in time that Spencer remembered it was when he was getting ready to get a cup. The smell of coffee filled the room, and Spencer took a deep breath. He left that smell to fill him up. He had drunk two cups of coffee before he had left for work, but it didn't seem to be enough to shake the lethargy that he had going on. He wasn't sure what the lethargy was because he was sleeping well.

Getting to sleep wasn't an issue, staying asleep wasn't an issue, but still, he was tired. Spencer couldn't remember nightmares, or dreams really but still, there was the feeling that he wasn't getting enough sleep.

"Good morning, Reid," Hotch said as he entered the small area to the side where the coffee pot was.

"Morning," Spencer said back. He reached out for the sugar jar and the powdered creamer. He had not restocked his regular creamer at home, and so he had not here either. Spencer set the sugar down, and when he reached for the creamer, something else cold was placed into his hand. Spencer opened his eyes in the brightly lit room and looked down at his hand.

It was a bottle of his preferred creamer. Sweet Cream flavored and no artificial sugars in it. Spencer didn't like the taste of them and refused to buy brands that had them in it. The bottle was bigger than the one that Spencer's closer store carried. Spencer just stared at it. There was no way that he had gone to the store and forgot, right? Especially a store that he didn't usually go to.

"It's not going to bite you," Hotch said as he leaned against the counter facing the opposite direction that Spencer was. Spencer looked up at him, with a look of utter confusion on his face.

"I didn't buy this." Spencer set the bottle down because it wasn't his. As he did, he noticed that his initials were on it. There was another SR that used the little kitchenette, so Spencer always put STR on things. The writing was not his, it was Hotch's.

"No you didn't, but I noticed you were out yesterday so when I went to the store last night I saw it was on sale and got it. I figured that meant I could sneak some when I wanted a little." Hotch was smiling, and Spencer was utterly fascinated at the way it transformed Hotch's face.

Spencer stared for a lot longer than was socially acceptable before he forced his eyes down to the cup. He picked up the sugar again and set it back where it belonged and picked up the creamer instead. Spencer shook it thoroughly and then took off the lid to take the metal foil seal off. He replaced the cap. Spencer did it, knowing that Hotch was staring at him, he could feel the eyes that were on him.

"You'll have to tell me where you got the creamer because my store doesn't carry one this big."

Hotch turned to Spencer, almost making a wall with his body as he did it. "If I told you then I would have to kill you. I have to keep some secrets, you know."

Spencer almost wanted to tell him that he kept the most secrets of them all. Spencer knew that he was entitled to keep them, but the whole team knew almost nothing of his life outside of work. He was not married, he was not dating, and while Spencer had been to his house a single time, he had not been back, and no one else had ever been there. Spencer had been invited after the disastrous Blue Ridge Strangler, the first time. It had helped Spencer, in the long run, get settled more into his position on the team.

Before that, the only job Spencer had ever held was getting his degrees. He had left Caltech to join the FBI with five Ph.D.s and a Bachelor's. Spencer had spent the past few years turning that Bachelors into a Ph.D. at Georgetown. Spencer had not picked what he wanted his next degree to be in. There were many to choose from. Georgetown was willing to work around Spencer's work to an untold degree.

Spencer still resented the way he was treated when it came to what everyone thought was his mutation. He was pushed to do more and more, even though he was working. Georgetown wanted the recognition of having one of the greatest minds of the lifetime on their campus as a student, and Spencer didn't feel bad using that to get what he wanted.

The silence had gone on a little too long, and Spencer turned his head to look at Hotch, who was still leaning on the counter, and he still had a smile on his face. Spencer gave him a weak smile, and Hotch's faltered just a little.

"Are you having trouble sleeping?" Hotch asked.

"No? I don't think so. I fall asleep fine, and I seem to be staying asleep the whole night, but I'm just...worn out all day long."

"Maybe you should take a long weekend if we don't get a case. Take off Friday and Monday. Then you can just relax for four days."

Spencer shrugged. He looked at the coffee and saw that it was finished brewing. He grabbed the basket and moved across to dump the grounds and filter into the trash before taking it back to rinse it out and place it back where it belonged. Hotch was still just looking at him.

Forcing himself not to look at Hotch, Spencer gently lifted the carafe to pour the coffee into his mug. He opened the drawer to get a spoon. He snapped open the top of the creamer and splashed the amount he liked into his coffee before stirring it. He loved watching the blending of the stark white creamer into the dark coffee. He lifted the mug to take a sip and sighed as he did. The smell of coffee was so strong, and he couldn't help but inhale deeply.

"Should I leave you two alone?" Hotch asked.

Spencer snapped his eyes open and looked at his boss. Hotch was smiling widely at his own words. Spencer felt himself start to blush at the joke that Hotch made.

"No, I'll be fine just taking coffee back to my desk and taking my time."

Hotch laughed at Spencer's play at innuendo back at him. Spencer had got a lot better at those kinds of things over the years as Morgan's attitude toward him cooled down and he got to know Spencer for being what he was, Spencer Reid. It had taken almost three years of Spencer being on the team for him to find out what made Morgan distrust Mutants that were close to him. Carl Buford was a man who should never have been gifted with being a Mutant because he had just used his abilities to hurt children.

Morgan had warmed to Prentiss quicker than he had Reid and eventually JJ when she had joined the team just after Spencer. JJ's ability to read emotions worked wonderfully for her job a Media Liaison. She was a wonderful addition to the team. She was excellent at her job, and the reading emotions helped a lot with some victims. Even sometimes, when she was there when they took down an UnSub.

Spencer heard the carafe being removed from the coffee pot when he was just a few steps from the counter. He stopped and turned back to watch Hotch prepare his coffee. Hotch drank his black most of the time but the later it was in the day sometimes he would add just a bit of creamer and maybe sugar as a treat. Hotch was the one that supplied the BAU's kitchenette with coffee. Everyone had tried to figure out where Hotch got the coffee, but no one had been able to. Spencer loved the coffee and was known to brew a pot late in the day so he could take a cup home with him.

After Hotch was done adding his splash of creamer to the cup, he opened the fridge to put it up, and Spencer turned back to leave. He took two steps, and the cup fell from his hands. The ceramic shattering was loud in the room. There was no one but them in the office yet. It was always a back and forth on who got into the office first.

"Reid, you okay?" Hotch asked, and just a second later, a hand was laying down on his shoulder. Spencer couldn't take his eyes off of the broken cup and the spilled coffee.

Spencer had a hold of the mug, he knew that he had. He had been dropping so many things lately, and he had no clue. He had taken to holding onto things tighter, but still, he was having the issue. It only happened when he was in the office or at home. He hadn't dropped anything on cases yet. Still, he had an appointment with his doctor to discuss what was going on. There were many things that could be causing it, and Spencer refused to freak out until he knew exactly what was wrong with him.

"Yeah, Hotch. I'm fine just seem to have butter fingers this morning."

"I can make you a cup real quick and bring it to you while you clean up."

"It's fine. Nothing got on me." Spencer looked at his pants and confirmed what he knew was already true. There was no coffee on his pants.

"Aren't you lucky? Still, let me make you another one."

Spencer waved Hotch off and found the broom and dustpan to get the ceramic off the floor before using a wet hand towel to get the coffee. When he was done, he turned back to find that Hotch was still there just watching him. Spencer ignored him. He was kind of used to the stares that the team gave him when he did something that was out of the ordinary for them but not for him. Spencer found a new mug and walked to the fridge to get the creamer out. He took a step toward the coffee pot when the creamer fell out of his hand. Hotch was quick and grabbed the creamer before it could hit the ground and bust.

Hotch gently took the mug from Spencer's hand and started to make Spencer's coffee. Spencer hated himself at that moment because he hadn't ever done that before. He had never made such a stupid idiot fool of himself in front of Hotch. Spencer wrapped his arms around himself and looked down at the floor. He opened his mouth to tell Hotch not to worry about his coffee when Hotch was unwrapping Spencer's arms from around himself and pressing a warm mug into his hands. Spencer looked down at his mug and then up at Hotch. It looked perfect.

Spencer couldn't help raising up the mug and taking a drink. It was perfect. He looked at Hotch in shock.

"We've worked together long enough that I know what your coffee wants are. Though I have also picked up yours enough on cases and thought it was mine to get that shock of sweet when I expect bitter. Though there are times that the coffee is bad enough that I think you don't add enough sugar or cream to it."

Spencer ducked his head again, taking a drink to cover the blush that was on his face. "Thank you."

"You are welcome, Reid. At last, that wasn't your good mug, right?"

"That mug is gone. I don't know where it went."

"Really? No wonder you need more coffee if your cup is too small." Hotch laid his hand on Spencer's shoulder and turned the both of them to head out of the kitchenette area. They walked side by side until they got to Spencer's desk. Spencer set down the mug of coffee on his desk before he pulled out his chair to sit down. Hotch waited until Spencer was sitting down to walk away. He stopped through just at the edge of the desk and turned back. Spencer straightened up from where he had been going down.

"Yes?" Spencer asked.

"Would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?"

"Yes," Spencer answered before he could even fully process what Hotch was asking. Spencer let a smile break on his face.

Hotch smiled back, and it was beautiful. Spencer had never seen Hotch smile like that before, and the fact that it was in reaction to something that Spencer had done made Spencer's heart clench a little.

"Wonderful. Once I get a handle on what I am doing for the day, I'll tell you what time I'll pick you up."

"Sure. I don't have anything planned tonight, obviously."

"You do now." Hotch gave Spencer that smile again before he turned around to go back to his office. Spencer watched him walk up and disappear before he sat down at his desk. He wasn't sure that he was going to get a lick of work done for the rest of the day. He would have to make sure that Morgan and Prentiss did not slip him more work. Then he would never get done for the day. He didn't want to be late to get ready for his date.

He had a date with Hotch. He had a date with _Hotch,_ Spencer felt his palms start to sweat. He hadn't been on a date since college. He hadn't thought about it since he had joined the Academy and especially since he had joined the BAU. There really wasn't a lot of time to date, and it wasn't like Spencer was all that lonely.

The morning flew by in a rush. Spencer worked on his paperwork and slipped Morgan the fives files that were supposed to be his back into his stack when he went to get coffee at some point. Lunch rolled through with Spencer eating a salad at his desk while he read two new books. Just after lunch, Hotch came out of his office and went to get more coffee. He stopped at Spencer's desk to set down a cup of coffee. Spencer reached for it and realized that Hotch had picked up the mug from that morning without him noticing and had set down a different one. It was the same size as Spencer's mug that had gone missing but had mathematical equations all over it. Spencer turned to thank him, but Hotch was gone.

Spencer wondered at how long Hotch had been in possession of that mug because it wasn't like he could just slip away and pick it up. That also made Spencer wonder about what had made Hotch ask him out right then. It wasn't like Spencer had been in danger on the last case. The UnSub they had hunted had been one of the more strange ones, and in the end, he had died. Vincent had been odd in more ways than one, and his attachment to Stanley had been one of the things that had made Spencer regretful that he had died. Spencer would have loved to have talked to him, studied him.

"So Pretty Boy, what has you in la-la land?" Morgan asked.

"Thinking about the books I read is all. The science in them just makes my head spin." Spencer didn't go any further because there was no reason to. Morgan held up his hand in a stop motion, but he had a smile on his face.

"Gotcha, Reid. Enjoy for your free radicals and equations and things." Morgan sat down at his desk, putting on his headphones and started up what looked like an audio track. He was probably working on something that had a phone call attached to the file. Spencer closed his file and looked at his coffee before draining it. He got up to get another cup. He fixed a second for Hotch because unlike Spencer, he just used the generic blue FBI mugs that were in all offices. Spencer was careful, his mind thinking on what he was doing and nothing else as he walked with two mugs up into Hotch's office. Hotch was sitting in his chair, but he wasn't working. He was looking up at the lights in the ceiling.

"There are seventy-two and a half tiles in your office," Spencer said with a smile on his face. Hotch tipped his head down enough to look at Spencer a faint smile on his lips.

"How long ago did you count that?"

"My first day in the office. Though after the remodel the number changed as the tiles were slightly different in size. Smaller, so there are thirteen extra as compared to when it was before."

"Thank you," Hotch said as he leaned forward to take the mug from Spencer's hand. He looked into his other cup and frowned. Spencer watched as he moved it away and saw that it was indeed empty. "Do you need something?"

"Just wanted to bring you coffee. You've made me two cups now, and I wanted to thank you for the mug. I really like it."

"Did you look at it after the coffee had gone cold or after you emptied it?" Hotch asked.

"No? Should I have?"

"The math equations disappear as the mugs cools. I saw it in a kitchen shop and had to get it for you. I meant to give it to you for your birthday, but I slipped it into a drawer here and forgot about it until I saw it again last week. When you said that your's had disappeared, I remembered it."

"Still, thank you." Spencer lifted the mug up to take a drink. The coffee was still too cold for it to have the mug cool enough to see any of the fading, but still, Spencer looked.

"You are very welcome. I don't want to rush you off, and you know that I like when we talk, but if I want out of here at a good time, I need to work."

"You were looking up at the ceiling when I came in."

"Yes, breathing technique to calm me down. I'm accounting for all of the bullets that have been used over the past year by my agents. Seems like they don't mind us having guns as long as we don't actually do anything with them."

"Ah, the downside of being Unit Chief. I'll leave you to your accounting and go and make sure that Morgan hasn't slipped me files again." Spencer took a sip of his coffee before he turned to leave. Spencer was almost to the door when Hotch spoke again.

"I'm really looking forward to tonight," Hotch said his voice low enough to where Spencer could hear him but no one else. Spencer turned around to look at him and gave him a smile before he walked out the door.

Aaron Hotchner was a mystery, and even after nearly six years of knowing him, Spencer hadn't fully figured him out. There were people in the BAU and even other units inside of the FBI that thought that he was asexual. He never spoke of going on dates. He didn't talk about his sex life at all really or his home life, and it was that part that made Spencer think it wasn't so much Hotch being asexual but just him being very private.

Spencer remembered his single trip to Hotch's house. It had been a charming home, but there were no pictures in the living room where Spencer had woken up after drinking too much wine. There were a lot of personal things, decorations, and the like. The whole of the house that Spencer had seen spoke of someone who was very happy in their home but private. Spencer hadn't ventured up into the second or third floor of the house as there was no need. The first floor had a half bath that worked well the next morning for what Spencer had needed before Hotch had dropped him off at his apartment and he got into work late.

The only real shock had been the kitchen. Evidence that it was well used as well much loved was very evident. As was the obviously homemade sauce and even homemade meatballs that were served to him for the meal. The wine had been perfect with dinner. Aaron Hotchner had a lot of layers inside of him, and he never had shown many people any of them. Spencer was sure that Gideon had seen the most, but that was mainly due to what the man was like more than what Hotch was like.

Spencer wondered what Hotch had planned for what they were going to be doing that night. Spencer was almost tempted to go up and ask, but he kind of enjoyed the not knowing as well. The thought of not knowing would have bothered him if it was anyone but Hotch. Hotch was one of the closest people in his life and had been since Gideon had left the team. Morgan and JJ were close, but there were sides of himself that he kept from them because they wouldn't understand that side of him or would think that they needed to change him to fit what they thought he should be.

Hotch had never tried to change Spencer, even when Spencer changed on them on all after Georgia. He had come out of the grave that he had dug changed him in ways that he had never thought that it would. It had started when he had been taken to the hospital for his foot. He had given the exact details of what had happened to him. Spencer had been released from the hospital to fly home after the drugs had left his system. Spencer had followed up with his standard doctor. There had never been a person in the BAU who had been drugged by an UnSub like that. Tests had been done to figure out what psychedelic drug Tobias cut his Dilaudid with Mescaline. That had been scary to Spencer, and so when he got back to DC, he had found a support group of cops. It had been hard the first few weeks, and the team watching him but not talking to him had been hard.

Spencer had found a rock in Hotch who had helped him by just being there when Spencer needed him. Even if that was days of working in Hotch's office just to not feel alone in the bullpen. Spencer wondered if this had started then. From the hug outside of the grave when Hotch had been the first to make it to him. Spencer still remembered that hug.

The afternoon flew by with Spencer focusing on paperwork so much that he was able to get everything cleared on his desk. It was nice to see it empty and empty a little before he was actually supposed to get off. Hotch wasn't too strict on that as long as he got work done. Spencer had only left work early when he was sick, so leaving so that he could get ready for the date seemed like something that Hotch wouldn't mind.

Spencer picked up his stack of finished case files and consults before he walked up to Hotch's office. Hotch was writing longhand on a notepad. He looked up at Spencer as he stepped up to the desk.

"Finished?"

"Yes. I did a second consult on this one." Spencer laid down a folder. "The person has escalated, but as there is no violence against a living creature, there is no reason for the team to go out, but the UnSub has escalated very quickly to severe property damage. I've told them that even if it's a homeless person that dies, we need to be told. One death will either make the UnSub stop or go on a spree. I just want your opinions on what I said before I send it. The rest are ready to go."

"I can look at it in a few minutes. I need to get this file done, and then I can finish the rest of my stuff done, and I can leave. You are free to go. Make sure Morgan doesn't slip more files to you before you leave."

"Thanks, and I will. He's gotten good at me not noticing and well I've been away from my desk." Spencer gave Hotch a smile but made sure to wipe it off his face before he made it to the door. Prentiss and Morgan were outside there, and he didn't want them to see anything on his face.

Gathering all of his things, Spencer prepared to leave.

"Hotch letting you leave early?" Prentiss said.

"I have my work done so yes, I get to leave early."

"You suck," Morgan said, but he was smiling.

"If only you were as good as me, you could leave early too."

Morgan and Prentiss laughed. Spencer slung his messenger bag strap over his shoulder and stuck his tongue out at Morgan before he started to the elevator. He stopped in front of it and decided that he wanted to take the steps instead.

The train only took an hour to get him home even with a slight delay at a light and a lot of traffic to walk from the station. Spencer was on cloud nine when he entered his apartment. He saw that the light on his answering machine was blinking and found that odd as it was mainly used by Bennington Doctor Norman never left messages.

Spencer pressed the play button.

"Reid, I forgot to tell you to dress warmly and in layers. We are going to be outside for the majority of the evening. I look forward to our date very much. See you soon."

Spencer shook his head. He hung his messenger bag on the coat rack. He wouldn't need anything out of it other than his wallet. He didn't plan on bringing the messenger bag. He owed it to himself to not bring any barrier to this date. There was only one way that this relationship was going to work, and that was with both of them being truthful and open. That did not mean that Spencer was going to tell Hotch everything about him right off the bat, but he wasn't going to bring something that every single person on the team knew was a safety device for him. Spencer walked to his bedroom to figure out what he was going to wear. Hotch knew what Spencer dressed like, so there was no reason to try and lure him in with tight clothes or something that would make him think about sex. Spencer was told to dress comfortably, and so Spencer was going to do that. He knew exactly what he was going to wear. He laid that out before heading into the bathroom to take a shower.

It wasn't like Spencer got dirty while working in the office but his hair was better managed and styled wet so he might as well take a shower. Spencer wasn't sure what Hotch thought was going to happen. Sex on a first date wasn't exactly something Spencer usually did, but this was Hotch. Spencer wouldn't be against sex if Hotch wanted it. Sex actually sounded good with someone that he was as wholly as attracted to as he was Hotch.

Hotch had kind of become his perfect person. Their lives had a few parallels, and their personalities were a good match. There was enough downtime on cases and after cases that it wasn't like they were incompatible and would have to find that out on the date. This was just going to be getting to know each other in a more intimate setting.

Spencer was looking forward to the date more than anything else in the world at that moment.


	3. Chapter 2

# Chapter 2

## April 2009

Aaron double-checked that he had everything that he needed. He had no guns on him. Where they were going, it wasn't a good idea to carry one, just to be safe. Aaron looked at the time. He had texted Reid the time that he was going to be there and he had ten minutes before he had to leave to make it there in time, even with bad traffic. Reid actually didn't live that far from him, having moved not long after he had joined the team. A series of break-ins had prompted Reid to move even though he had not been broken into. It had been a team bonding moment with the newly added JJ and started the friendship between Morgan and Reid. It had been a fun day, even if Gideon had not joined them.

"You look as nervous as a virgin on their wedding night, but we both know you ain't no virgin." Jake was leaning in the doorway of the walk-in closet with a smile on his face that turned into a leer as he looked Aaron up and down.

Aaron had opted for a pair of warm jeans as well as a sweater that Jake had given him for Christmas. It was butter soft and did look good on him. Aaron just stared at Jake in the mirror that he was standing in front of.

"It took you long enough on this damned date. I swear that if it had taken much longer, I was going to steal your phone and ask him out over a text." Jake shoved off the wall and walked toward Aaron, turning him around to Jake could look him in the eye. "With everything that I went through to get you tickets to a sold-out event, you had better give me every single detail of anything dirty you do to him."

"I'm a gentleman, Jake. I don't fuck on the first date."

"You don't fuck strangers on the first date, but he's no stranger. You have deep feelings for him, and you need to accept that before you do something stupid that is gonna hurt the both of you."

"When did you get so smart?" Aaron asked, trying to deflect the words off of him. He knew that he had feelings for Reid and that he had for a long time, but he had never felt that Reid would accept it or if he did it would only be to make Aaron happy. Reid was a damned good agent, and he had turned into a damned fine man as well. Aaron had wanted this date for a long time, and it was walking into the kitchenette to see Reid so focused on the coffee and feeling jealous of the attention that had made him finally build up enough nerve to ask for the date. Reid's quick acceptance of the date had told Aaron that he had wanted a date as much as Aaron. It was nice to want someone who wanted him back.

The only stumbling block was Aaron being a Mutant. Aaron had held it so close for so long. Jake knew that Aaron was a Mutant for a while before Aaron had actually shown Jake what he could do. Aaron wasn't ashamed of being a Mutant not any longer, but to him, it was very private, and it wasn't something that was bandied about like a hair color. Aaron was proud of being a Mutant, but it wasn't needed to be shouted from the rooftops for him to feel like he was part of the community.

"I've always been smarter than you when it comes to relationship things. You've just never paid attention."

Aaron leaned forward, placing his forehead against Jake's, Jake wrapped his arms around Aaron's shoulders. They stood there like that for a few minutes. Jake was never going to find a love like that again. He missed Ethan, and if he had been weaker, if he hadn't known what Ethan would think of him killing himself, Jake would have followed Ethan to the grave.

"I want you to have fun. Stop being Hotch and be Aaron. You've shown him enough of Aaron that he likes him. Don't scare him off."

"I will be Aaron, but I won't be bringing him back here or going up to his apartment. Not for sex. I want to romance him and sweep him off of his feet. He and I deserve the build-up. If this goes the way that I want it to, this is going to be it for us."

"You do deserve it, and from what you have told me about him, he does as well. I'm glad that you've finally taken this chance Aaron and no matter how the night ends, I'm glad you are doing this. Now go pick up your beau."

"Beau? It's a single date so far."

"With someone you care for, you wouldn't care for them as deep as you do if you didn't think that they cared back. When you love, Aaron Hotchner, it's with all that you are. You cannot tell me that you mourned the loss of Haley for longer than you should have. You would still be mourning her if you hadn't met him."

"I probably would have. I saw my future with her from the moment that I met her. I regret that I didn't realize how deeply she hated Mutants. I really didn't see that part coming."

"No one ever does. It's rare in this day and age. I know that you see it more than I do but given what you do. I get a few people who leave nasty reviews on Yelp or on other food websites, but the anonymous ones are ignored and if they are logged in it's easy to see that the reviews are giving bad reviews to restaurants with Mutants as the cooks or chefs. It's effortless to figure out who is doing what and why. The vitriol was so bad with a few that they were banned from the site."

"You aren't upset that I am not taking him to H&D are you?" Aaron asked, and it was the first time that the thought had crossed his mind. Aaron hadn't dated since Haley, he had put too much focus on work and then later in helping Jake get H&D running. Aaron had given Jake a nice chunk of his inheritance from his parent's deaths, and Jake had repaid every single cent of it. It had been a wise investment because with giving him that money, Aaron held fifty percent of the restaurant.

Aaron's lawyer had been the one to draw up the paperwork, and while Aaron had tried to take less than that, Jake had insisted. Yes, Jake put more time into H&D, but without Aaron's money, he never would have got off the ground. So Aaron kept his mouth shut, helped when he could, gave his opinion when it was asked, and enjoyed the fact that he had money to do what he wanted without having to worry. With the miles that he put on his car, he bought a new one each year and donated the other to a local charity that gave the vehicles to those who needed it. Aaron also paid the car insurance for the person who needed it for a year while they got themselves settled. It was usually someone who had lost everything, job, house, or the like. The charity was happy for Aaron's constant help. Jake bought new cars every few years, but his were more flashy, and so he just sold them and donated the money from the sale because no one down on their lucky family needed a Ferrari.

"No, Aaron," Jake said, pulling Aaron from his thoughts. Jake leaned in and brushed their noses together. "I am not upset that you are not bringing him to the restaurant. One, there is no way the staff there would not be inquisitive, myself included and I think that the date you have planned is a much better first date than me and my crew staring at your every single move. So you have fun, and you had better get going if you want to pick him up on time. I have the large thermos full of hot chocolate like you asked and even made two smaller ones of mochas. I figured that those can be drunk on the way, especially his."

"You are too good for me."

"No, I am not. I am just showing you how much I care. You saved me from a very destructive path after the death of Ethan. You allowed me to find something to live for so that I didn't die in the ache of missing him."

Aaron cupped the sides of Jake's face and just rested their foreheads together again. He looked at the clock just outside the door and realized that he did need to go if he didn't want to be late to pick up Reid. As much as Reid was an academic, he was very punctual, and it was when he was late that it told a lot about his mindset. Aaron could count the number of times that he was late for personal reasons on the one hand. Reid was always very open and often texted if the train was delayed on getting him into work. That Reid couldn't help. He was usually early to work anyway, so it was only late from his standard arrival time.

"I gotta go. I'll text if we are going to be later than the finishing time of the play."

"I know you will. I'll be at the restaurant. I have a visiting chef in from New York. I'm excited for him to try my new menu. He's going to try and wine and dine the recipe for my cookies from me. He's tried twice before when I go and visit him."

"You'll cave one day."

"He doesn't want to pay my price of a roll in the hay."

Aaron laughed and shook his head, but he pressed a kiss to Jake's forehead and untangled their limbs from each other. Aaron grabbed his wallet as he exited the closet and his credentials from his jacket that was hanging for him to wear to work the next day. He slipped both into his back pocket. Jake stayed in the bedroom, walking to Aaron's bed and flopping on it. Aaron laughed. The air outside when Aaron stepped out was cool enough that he thought he should maybe grab a jacket to wear as well. He opened the door again and grabbed his warm leather jacket from the coat rack that hung on the wall. He slipped it over the bag with the hot chocolate in it and shut the door, locking it. He didn't set the alarm as Jake was going to be leaving.

The drive was long enough that Aaron started to get nervous, but he didn't turn around and go back. Aaron knew where the parking area for the apartment complex was but also that there was twenty-minute parking for pick up and drop off in front of the building. So Aaron aimed for there. He was going to go up and get Reid from his apartment and then escort him down.

Aaron frowned when he turned the corner and found that Reid was standing outside the apartment building. Aaron had been inside of his place several times, usually dropping him off after an injury, twice concussions that didn't need a hospital stay or someone watching him but Aaron worried enough about the team getting into their place. He had escorted Morgan as well as Gideon or Dave home after an injury. None of them took it as more than him worrying about them, and it wasn't a slight on what he thought they could do. Aaron worried less about JJ because she had Will but he still at least escorted her to the door.

Stopping and putting the car in neutral, Aaron got out. Reid had not stepped to the curb but stood there with a smile on his face. Aaron stepped up to Reid with a smile on his face.

"Hello," Aaron said.

"Hello," Reid said back. "I don't need to bring anything, right?"

"No. Where is your bag?" Aaron felt kind of pleased that the bag was not on Reid's person at all.

"I left it upstairs. I don't need it. It's not like I am going to need the two books or other things that I have in there to keep me occupied, am I?" There was a quirk of a smile on Reid's lips as he said the words, and it made Aaron's stomach flutter.

"No. No, you won't. Are you warm enough? I see you aren't wearing your jacket yet."

"I have a shirt on under my sweater. I'll be fine until the sun fully starts to go down. Then I can put on my jacket."

"Good, good." Aaron wasn't sure what to do. He hadn't been on a date in so very long that he wasn't sure what kind of etiquette to use. He went with his gut and what he knew of Reid. Aaron stepped closer and pressed a light kiss to Reid's cheek. Just as he was pulling away, Reid turned his face to do the same. "Hi."

"Hello." Reid's cheeks were slightly red, but his eyes were sparkling with happiness. "You got here early, but I figured that you would leave with enough time if traffic was bad and I didn't want to keep you waiting, so I just came down. I wasn't sure what the protocol is."

"On what?"

"Picking up people from apartments. I know you have the code and the key to get into the building, but I wasn't sure what you would do. If you would honk or what. I've not been on a date since I was eighteen. I tried a few times on campus, and mostly we met up at wherever we were eating."

"Well, the dating etiquette that I was taught was to always go and get them from where my date was. But then that was high society Virginia rules between males and females. The whole picking them up was so that the parents could meet them. I've already had the pleasure of meeting your wonderful mom and the displeasure of meeting your father."

Reid laughed and ducked his head. They were still standing so very close together. Aaron felt Reid's breaths over his cheek before he stepped back. Aaron turned to open the car door. Reid was used to the door thing. Aaron did it for everyone when he reached the car first. Morgan had balked at it at first but got used to it as a courtesy. Aaron's mother had raised him to always be kind to those around him, and that included opening doors for them if he reached it first, no matter their gender.

"So where are we going?" Reid asked as he slipped down into the passenger seat. Aaron waited for him to be buckled in before he shut the door. Aaron rounded the car, checking for traffic first before he got into the driver's seat. He turned the key and started the car immediately.

"We are going to the Melody Outdoor Theatre."

"Oh, are they open already? I've been meaning to go, but every time they have something going, I am interested in, I either have other plans, or we are on a case."

"Tonight is opening night. They are doing My Fair Lady." Aaron checked traffic before pulling out into it. The drive was short to the

"Oh, that's going to be very interesting."

"Yes. There is a series they are doing in the fall, and if you would like, I'll purchase tickets for us. Four shows scattered over three months. Each show will be put on every other night for three weeks. Each a continuation of the last. The Hobbit is next."

"Oh but with cases?" Reid trailed off, Aaron understanding what he was saying.

"Well, that's easy because the tickets are good for any of the showings over those three weeks. I had already thought about that. One of the owners is friends with a few agents and works well with crappy timing on jobs parts. Even this show, if we had got called out, we would be able to go to another. It might not be the same show, but that's okay."

A red light stopped them, and so Aaron reached back to open the bag that held the thermoses, and he pulled out the two small ones. He handed one to Reid before taking one for himself. He opened it and took a drink. Reid did as well. Reid gave him a grin but said nothing. Aaron had brought the mocha to a stakeout once in DC when they had been hunting an UnSub at night in the middle of winter. Aaron had only shared that with Reid. Aaron's life up to that point had been slowly pulling Reid closer and closer as friends and hopefully maybe as more.

"I never knew that. Mom used to take me to dinner theaters when I was younger. They would have a show out in the desert. Set everything up and tear it down for each one. I had a lot of fun doing it."

"So a good choice for a first date?" Aaron asked.

"Very much so." Reid glanced at Aaron before turning his eyes back to the road. Aaron watched him out of the corner of his eye. "Though in all fairness, I would have been happy with a meal at any restaurant and then being taken home at the end. Just being with you makes this one of the best dates I've ever been on."

"Why?" Aaron asked.

"Because it's the first date that I've actually wanted to go out with the person I'm with."

"You didn't want to be with the people you have gone on dates with before?"

"Even with the Ph.D.s that I had, the school and the psychologists were worried about what my isolation from those my age would do to me mentally. So they pushed me to friend those in my age group when my age group finally came to college. Obviously, students who I had gone to high school with were out of the question, and a few did show up at Caltech. Even within the smart girls and guys at Caltech, I was the odd one out. Even among Mutants."

"So, how has that been going?" Aaron asked.

"The research into DNA and the brain to see the difference between non-active and active Mutants? About as good as it was a year ago. Gene sequencing takes a long time, and deep, accurate scans of people with the Mutant gene who are not active has yielded nothing so far. Caltech is keeping up with it, though. I keep hoping."

"Your family doesn't have any other Mutants in it does it?"

"No. The research that led my family to believe I was online at the time was flawed. There were a lot of studies that came out after but just like with other flawed science, the belief still holds. It was the correlation between the fact that a great percentage of Mutants are smart in one way or another. So the scientists hold that everyone with a genius IQ is a Mutant. So far, that part has held, but it's the fact that a few of us who are genius, have the gene, and nothing else is considered online, and our genius is our mutation. Yes, I can read super fast, yes I can remember what I read, but that's it. Some with the Mutant gene never have it activated. I mean if I had a trigger for myself coming online, I would be Hankel. That was scary. I don't even remember breaking my arm. Yes, I know that I did. I remember binge-reading but the pain, the actual moment I broke it has faded to a distant memory. If it was when I came online, I would assume that it would have stuck a little more."

"I agree with your reasoning and can understand. Though it does astound me what you can do and whether it's your mutation or not, it's pretty damned awesome." Aaron glanced at Reid, seeing that blush on his cheeks that was always there when Aaron talked about Reid's brain. Reid's brain was a marvel, Mutant ability, or not.

"So you know about my parents, and I know that your dad is dead from a heart attack while he was undergoing chemo treatment for cancer. You've never talked about your mother, and you haven't talked about Sean in a while."

"Sean's in New York, and that's all that I know. I have an agent friend who checks on him, runs his name every once in a while in the local New York PD database to make sure. A few speeding tickets here and there, a jaywalking one. Nothing big for a city like that."

Reid turned in his seat to face Aaron a little more. "And your mom?"

"She died in 1990. Her death is the reason I stopped working as a prosecutor and started at the Academy. I wanted to be a lawyer, but there was a part of me that wanted to do it for a while until I started to see that I could possibly do more good on the other side catching the criminals. I never told Gideon, but I worked one of his cases. I was the second seat lawyer, but still, I was there. I watched him. Listened to him. I don't know if he ever knew that. He was part of the reason I joined the FBI. I saw what his unit was doing, I saw that I could do good there as well."

"Really? Mine was a lecture by the two of them. Rossi had retired at that point."

"I remember."

Reid laughed. His eyes darted to the side, and Aaron looked that way as well. The large area where the theater was had a large crowd there already. Aaron wasn't worried as he had bought the tickets ahead of time. He had been planning on asking Jake to go but never had. Reid was like a kid in a way, his eyes took in everything. Aaron liked watching him. Reid didn't even realize when Aaron had opened the car door until he tapped the younger man on the shoulder. Reid turned his face up to him and laughed a little at the open door. Aaron reached out his hand as Reid turned to get out of the car. Reid looked at the hand and then up at Aaron's face before slipping his hand into Aaron's. Aaron pulled Reid up and out of the car but didn't let go of his hand.

"This okay?" Aaron asked as Reid shut the car door. He squeezed Reid's hands to point out that it was what he was asking about. Reid nodded his head and stepped closer to where their arms brushed as they walked. Reid still looked around the whole area as they talked, and it was interesting to see his face as he beheld the entire area. The staging area was pretty big, allowing for smaller productions like the one happening that day and the ones that were bigger like Aaron assumed The Hobbit would be.

"This place is really fun looking," Reid said.

"The food prepared for the shows is not made on site obviously. It's catered to various places around the city."

"I read about that. I've been meaning to try H&D's. I've heard that they made fabulous desserts."

"They do. If we don't get a case, do you want dinner there tomorrow?" Aaron asked. He would never get away with keeping that side of his life from Reid for long, and he didn't want to. Instead, he wanted it out there, but it was a little too much for a first date. Even between them with as long as they had known each other.

"Two dates in two days before the first is even done? You seem pretty sure that you'll get a second one, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am."

"Good thing I like confident people." Reid tugged on Aaron's arm, pulling him close. Reid kissed the side of his cheek. "I'd love to go eat there tomorrow."

"Good. Now let's enjoy tonight."

Aaron knew where their seat was, and he had called to check them in prior to leaving work. The hostess at the podium at the main entrance just nodded to him as he walked past. Reid stayed right there with him as he weaved through the tables to one of the better ones. There was a layout on the website, and Aaron had picked one that would allow them a nice view of the stage but not be in the direct line of sight of too many other people. Aaron didn't want to be at the back of the theater.

There were fire pits scattered between the tables to help with warmth, and all of them were lit. The only thing that the outdoor theater had was a roof over it. There were no sides to it, and on windy days it was a little weird. The props for the plays were sturdy enough to not blow over.

Aaron was glad when the lights went out, and the food started to be delivered. Since it was cold out, the courses were all warm, and the first was puff pastries. Aaron enjoyed them a great deal but knew that it was from one of the places that were in competition with H&D. Aaron didn't let that color his opinion of the night.

Talking did not happen during the play, but that was okay. Aaron as enjoying the play and watching Reid enjoy his meal. Aaron had picked the food after Reid had agreed to the date. It was a limited menu, but he found enough things on it that showed that he watched Reid over the years. Sometimes a little too closely but still he watched.

After dessert was served and consumed. Aaron realized that Reid was shivering a little, even though he had put on his jacket. Aaron scooted his chair closer to Reid and laid an arm over his shoulders to pull him tight to his body. Reid snuggled in close, and Aaron couldn't help the smile on his face. Reid laid his head on Aaron's shoulder, and they just sat there like that until the lights came up. Aaron did not want the night to end, but he knew that it had to. He was already up a little later than usual and still had to drop off Reid as well as go home himself. Thankfully Jake would be at H&D so he would be allowed to sleep.

"Ready to go?" Aaron asked as the attendants started to go around to put out the fire pits.

"No, but yes."

Aaron laughed and stood up, he waited for Reid to stand as well before he wrapped his arm around him again. Reid tucked himself into Aaron's side as they left, mingling with the throng of people that were ready to get into their cars and into their beds. Aaron unlocked the car from a few steps away and opened Reid's door. He didn't shut Reid's door but instead walked to get into the back seat. He set the bag with the thermos on Reid's lap.

"Hold that please." Aaron shut the door and rushed around to get out of the night air. He dropped into the seat and started the start as soon as he got the key in the ignition. He didn't turn the blowers on yet, waiting for the air to warm up before he did. He took the bag from Reid's hands and opened it up to get the large thermos out. Aaron waited for Reid to open up his smaller thermos, shaking the bigger one to remix the drink, before he cracked the big one. Aaron filled Reid's and waited. Reid put the lid on it and grabbed Aaron's as well. Aaron filled his and realized that Jake had done pretty well at the measurement.

"Should we be drinking coffee?"

"This is just hot chocolate."

"This makes me wonder what I could offer to finally get the recipe from you," Reid said just before he took a sip. He wagged his eyebrows at Aaron, and there was a smile on his cheeks. Aaron laughed but didn't answer as he wanted something in him to warm him up from the inside. Reid made a moaning noise that Aaron was very used to from late nights eating together. Reid enjoyed food, and he wasn't ashamed of it. Even if he sucked at using chopsticks.

"As I don't know the recipe, you can offer whatever you want."

"You don't make it?"

"No, my best friend does. He has wanted me to ask you out since the night you drank too much wine and fell asleep on my couch. Neither of us was ready for that, but the attraction to you was there from the beginning. At least physically."

"I didn't have that. I liked you and the look of you, but it's taken me a long time to figure out exactly what I like and don't like."

"And I'm your type?" Aaron asked because that was really something he needed to know.

"Yes. Though I think that I fall more to the sexuality that is I don't get aroused with new people. It takes me a while. I like competence, and you have that in spades. I like smart people, and well you are smart even if you hide it better than others. You are kind, and there is a sweet side to you. You protect those you consider family fiercely. So yeah, Aaron Hotchner I would say that you are my type to a T."

"Good." Aaron looked at the dashboard and turned on the heat vents. Reid wasn't shivering, but the sips of hot chocolate between words told him that he was cold.

The drive to Reid's apartment was quick, Aaron taking his time with the dark but not trying to stay out later than he needed.

"Do you mind me walking you up?" Aaron asked.

"I don't mind at all." Reid unbuckled just after Aaron parked and turned off the car. He waited to get out until Aaron had opened the door. Spencer smiled at Aaron before tucking into his side. Aaron unlocked the door with the key. He waved for Spencer to go in first. They walked up side by side the steps to Reid's apartment.

Reid opened his door and turned to face Aaron, there was a strange look on his face. Aaron stepped up and cupped the sides of Reid's face. Aaron made sure that Reid knew exactly what he was going to be doing before he kissed him. Reid's hands held onto Aaron's sides to keep him close. Aaron felt the swipe of tongue over his lips, but he kept his pressed together. Aaron kept the kiss simple. Nor for lack of wanting that but the fact that he wanted to take this slow.

"Sometime soon, I'll come in or have you back at my house. Not today. Believe me, I want sex, I want sex with you. Just not today and probably not after the next date. I want to enjoy slowly seducing you. I want you to want it so much you might think you'll explode if I touched you. So," Aaron said before he ducked down again and pressed his lips to Reid's at the same time that he lowered a hand to slip it around Reid and draw him close, their bodies had no distance between them. He kept their lips pressed together but didn't go further than that before he pulled back. "For tonight, I'm going to take my leave of you."

Aaron left before he could change his own mind or let Reid do it. Because he wanted, he really wanted. It just wasn't time yet. There were still a few things to talk about between them, Aaron's housemate and him being a Mutant was only two of the things. Aaron wasn't worried about either. Reid was very accepting and understanding. Jake had already promised to find his release elsewhere, but they both had known this was coming, Jake especially with how much he pushed Aaron. It wasn't going to change their friendship in any way. Nights that Jake needed to feel a body next to him, he would climb into Aaron's bed, maybe even with Reid in it. Aaron wasn't going to deny Jake a single thing that he needed. Ever.


	4. Chapter 3

# Chapter 3

## Late April 2009

Spencer was looking through a section of old French cookbooks in one of his favorite shops. He found one that was in its original French and decided to look through it. He carried the book to the table that was used for browsing. He settled in with his to-go cup of coffee from the bistro across the street. He loved reading through and finding new recipes to try at home. His neighbors were very interested in trying new things, and he liked cooking, sometimes for more than just himself. Miss Mabel, who lived a floor below him, tried to offer sex in place of food, and Spencer still wasn't sure if she was being serious or not. Even if she was, Spencer was not taking her up on it. If the scuttlebutt from the other people in the building was correct, she was in an open relationship with at least two of the single, older men in the building.

"I don't think I have ever seen anyone looking at a recipe like that," a voice said.

Spencer looked up at the man who was standing there. He was gorgeous and had piercing eyes. He had a to-go cup from the same bistro, so Spencer wondered if he had followed Spencer just to talk to him or had just come over on his own afterward much like Spencer had.

"Hello," Spencer said because he wasn't sure what else to say. The man nodded his head back in a sort of welcome. He pulled out a chair on the other side of Spencer's table and sat down.

"I'm sorry you look familiar, and I wasn't sure where I had seen you before. Do you frequent here?" The man asked. He sat back in the chair, set his drink down on the table, and crossed one leg over the other.

"I do. I come here as much as I can. I really like the books that are offered. Do you?"

"Not really but I do come to this area a great deal, especially the bistro. I like the food there, and the coffee is pretty good."

"Pretty good? I find it's some of the best coffee in the whole city."

"Oh, really? You'll have to let me make you one of my mocha lattes and then we can see how much you love it compared to this." The man held up his cup before he took a sip.

"There is one latte that I have liked more, but my friend makes it, and he keeps the recipe as close as he does everything else in his life. He's tried to tell me his best friend is the one to make it and just shares, but I'm not sure I believe him. Not that he lies a lot, but he's good a deflecting. He's good at anything that he puts his mind to."

"Sounds like my kind of guy. So what do you do?"

"I do psychological assessments for the Federal Government." Spencer knew that sometimes starting out with the FBI and BAU scared some people. Or the few that felt it necessary to try and prove that Spencer was lying because of his age or his build. He was nowhere near the standard FBI agent in any aspect of himself. The science side was easier to see him in.

"Really? I ended up getting a Bachelor's in Chemistry for my cooking. I know it's not the same, but I saw it as edible Chemistry for so long, and I thought it would be fun to get a degree in it."

"That sounds like something I would do. I have several degrees."

"I bet. What degrees do you have that have to do with your job?"

"Ph.D.s in Psychology and Neuroscience, as well as a newer one in Sociology."

"Wow," the man said as he sat back in his chair. He was looking at Spencer with a strange look, but it wasn't sexual. It was closer to the way that Hotch used to look at him like he was trying to figure him out. The thought of Hotch made Spencer's stomach flutter. They had a date later that day, and after a long, lousy case that had stopped them from getting their big date at H&D, they were doing it that night. Spencer had been a ball of nervous energy because while the first had been nerve-wracking, this was one was more they were going to one of the more upscale restaurants in the area where eyes would be on them. Spencer was ready for it. He wanted it. He wanted it all with Hotch and the strength of his feelings now that he stopped pushing them down astounded even him.

Years of hiding what he was feeling, the emotions that he had for Hotch that he didn't have for anyone else were hard, but Spencer would do it all again because Hotch was right. He was right that if they had started this before now, it seemed like it would have fractured or something. Spencer knew that Hotch was keeping a few things close to the vest, but Spencer could understand. There were things that the team knew that Spencer had never planned on telling them. The job had interfered with that when it came to both his mom and his dad. Spencer had a guess on at least one of the things that Hotch was keeping from him, but he would let that stand until Hotch was ready to tell him. Spencer wasn't the kind that would demand to know everything at the start. There was a give and take, and it could sometimes take years for things to come out. He knew that, and he liked finding new things about people years later.

"So what are your plans today?"

"Why?"

"Because I would like to talk to you more. This is not anything to do with wanting a start of dating. I have a few friends, and I like to add more. I'm just very private, and you seem like someone that I would like to get to know better. There is nothing else more than that. I would also like to discuss French cuisine more."

Spencer shifted in his chair. Groaning a little bit as his side twisted in a way it didn't like.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I got into a disagreement with a person I was helping to find. They found me instead. I came out on top but not without a few bruised ribs."

"Damn. I guess you go into the field."

"Some. Not a lot usually. I'm the geek, the nerd. I hunt them for others to find." Spencer laid his hand on his side as he finished moving. He would need something to eat soon to take the mild muscle relaxer. He had refused the pain medication that the doctor had wanted to give him. The muscle relaxer was going to be good enough. Spencer didn't like the feeling that some pain medicines gave him. He would rather deal with the pain than to deal with the cotton head feeling.

Spencer reached for his cup and took a sip. He moved to set it back down, and just when he was a few inches from placing it, the cup fell out of his hand. It was thankfully not full enough to splash, but it did tip at a weird angle. The man across from him shot out his hand and kept it right.

"I would blame the pills I am on, but I have been dropping things left and right. Though I am sure that the pills are not helping me at all."

"Have you seen someone about it?"

"I've always dropped things, and I have a lot going on in my life right now, so I figure if it gets worse or stays after my life calms down then I will. It's not anything more than a bother. Though my boss has taken to making my first cup of coffee at working and bringing it to me after I dropped one in front of him a while back."

"Sounds like a good boss."

"He is. Though I might be biased as he is the only boss I've ever had. He does good by the people that I work with, even if he does run himself into the ground sometimes to do it. I try and help him as much as he will allow."

"Sounds like you have a good team there."

"Spencer?" a voice called out. Spencer knew that it was was the shop owner, Marisa. He stood up to meet her. She came around the corner. "Oh! There you are. Your one book order was delayed a little bit. The company swears it will be here by the end of the week."

"That's okay. It'll fine whenever it gets here." Spencer gave her a smile. She tried her hardest to get anything that her customers wanted, but sometimes it was out of her reach. "Give me a few minutes, and I'll check out the books I found today."

"Sure. Did you find a friend?" Marisa asked. She waggled her eyebrows at him. She had been trying to hook him up with someone for the entire time that he had known her. Spencer had not told her about his dates with Hotch yet. He wanted to see where it was going first.

"I found a friend, yes. Nothing more. We are going to walk and discuss French cuisine, it seems."

"He's a sweetheart. I've had him get a few obscure law books from me as a present for someone. I've never asked his name. What is it?"

"I actually haven't asked that either."

"You mister paranoid FBI agent have talked to a man for a while and haven't asked his name?" Marisa looked a little shocked at that, but Spencer just shrugged. He walked back to the table and picked up his book.

"If you want to walk and talk. I'm up for that. Soon I'll need to find a place to eat lunch so that I can take my pills."

"Well if we got east when we leave the shop, we will pass another coffee shop that I like a certain latte they make that no one else does and then if we keep on going we will eventually end up at my restaurant where I would love to cook you lunch."

Spencer looked at him with a keen eye. The man was not giving Spencer any signs that there was something up, but there was something, and Spencer couldn't put his finger on it. It wasn't anything wrong but just something. His mind was intrigued, and he really wanted to figure it out.

"One condition."

"Yes?" the man asked.

"What's your name?"

"Oh. Oh, I'm sorry. Jake. I got caught up in talking and forgot my social niceties. My housemate would hate me right now. He's a proper southern gentleman."

"I'll check out at the register and meet you outside? Unless you found something, you wanted to buy as well." Spencer grabbed his messenger bag, He carefully raised it and slung it up over his head and down onto his shoulder. He tucked his book into his arm and picked up his coffee. It was less than half full, so Spencer gave it a swirl to mix the sauce and syrup in it and then downed it. There was a trash can right by the table, so he tossed the empty cup into it.

"I did not." Jake stood up from his seat and walked out of the secondary exit.

Spencer walked to the front of the shop and found Marisa standing there, and she had already rung out the rest of Spencer's books. Spencer handed over the French cuisine book, and when she was done scanning it, he took it back from her and slipped it into his messenger bag. She grinned at him.

"Want me to have the rest dropped off at your apartment?"

"Please. I'm sore enough from a surprise takedown that I was in no way ready for. I'm not too bad, but I have a few bruised ribs."

"At least you are feeling okay. I'll have Shane run these over when he gets here."

Spencer nodded. When the total came up, and the card reader beeped, Spencer swiped his credit card and confirmed the amount. His receipt printed and Spencer pocketed it before giving Marisa a nod. Spencer grabbed the strap on the front of his messenger bag as he exited the shop. Jake was standing there just a little to the east side of the door.

"Ready?" Jake asked.

"Yes."

"So what do you like about French cuisine?"

"There isn't much I don't like about it. Don't get me wrong I love all kinds of food, but there are ones from other countries that are too spicy for me. There is too much that covers the food. I also like a lot of the books because they have weird little stories. Especially the older ones."

"Those stories are nice. I have a book at my restaurant that I can figure out the recipes in but the writing and the stories, those I can't. Maybe I'll have you translate them for me. Or read to me."

Spencer laughed because Jake waggled his eyebrows and leered a little. If it weren't for Spencer being used to Morgan, Spencer would be a little freaked out, but instead, he just shoved at Jake a little. Jake laughed back. Spencer looked around the shops that were on the block they were on because he had not made it that far. He had found the places he had wanted when he moved to the area after his first apartment had been such a failure. Spencer saw a few interesting shops and even one of the gambling places. He made a mental note to go back there at some point because he wanted to see how long it would take for him to get banned from there.

"So how long have you lived in DC?" Jake asked.

"How do you know that I have not lived here my whole life?"

"Because you have a Vegas accent. It's subtle, but it's there. I have a sous chef, and you have a few things in common, speech-wise as her. I'm sure that most wouldn't catch it."

"Yes, I'm from Vegas. You are the only person that has ever caught that. I've lived here for a few years now."

"How many is a few? Since the fall of two thousand and four."

"You've also got a few other speech patterns in there. People, you work with?"

"Probably. Language and the changing of it based on friends is a very fascinating field. I've been attending a few lectures by Alex Blake on it."

"You do sound like you would be in heaven with just spending the rest of your life learning. Why did you pick the Federal Government to work for?"

"Because while I would love to learn for the rest of my life, I wasn't happy just doing it. I started college early so I knew that with nothing to apply it to, I would go stagnant. I fear my mind sometimes."

"I can see that. Idle hands and brains and all of that. So how did you learn French? Or a better question might be why."

"I learned it because my mom was a professor of literature. She used to read to me in other languages when I was a baby. I picked up French pretty easily while I was in grade school. I enjoyed learning it, and so I learned a lot of others as well. A few I started to learn after I got my job here in DC. those are more fun things."

"So you like learning, and your job allows you a reason to learn other things and doesn't keep you in a box."

"Why did you become a chef? Since you are asking me all about me. I think it's time for me to ask about you."

"Well, I liked cooking even as a kid. I was babysat by my grandma while my parents worked, so it was easy for me to learn. Grandma let me help her with things that I could do from an early age. It just came naturally to me. I was in a car wreck with grandma when I was a teenager. We weren't hurt, but it scared me. After that, cooking became easier. I got it better. Never understood it until one-time grandma didn't set a timer on the cookies. I felt that something was wrong, and I went to the kitchen and pulled the cookies just as they were at the perfect baking. I put in the next batch and didn't set the timer again. Same thing. That feeling hit me, and It was time to pull the cookies. I kept experimenting for a while. Grandma started to get to where she couldn't cook as much, so I was given more to do. The school had mandatory testing on the Mutant gene after a rash of horrible events caused a group to turn on. It was found that I had the gene. My family was very laid back on it. If I had it, I would come online or I wouldn't. A little more testing and it was figured out that my ability to know when things were done or ready or at the perfect temperature to add the next bit was my mutant ability. I've found out that I know when things are made wrong, or food has gone bad as well."

"That's a fascinating ability but not one that seems it would be a bad one. "

"No, it's not. I have seen those with worse ones." Jake waved for Spencer to head into a shop. Spencer saw that it was a coffee shop that looked nothing like a coffee shop. It left him with no shame at never noticing it before. Jake stepped right up to the counter with Spencer behind him. Spencer was looking at the menu when he heard Jake ordering two of something that was not on the menu. Jake turned when the barista moved to ring up the drinks. "It's my treat for indulging me in weird things."

"Well, thank you. Still not sure I'm gonna like it."

Jake laughed.

It wasn't long before the barista set their drinks down and Spencer picked his up first and handed Jake his as well. Jake made the cheers motion at Spencer's drink before motioning for Spencer to walk. Spencer frowned as the man seemed to be in a slight rush. Spencer started for the exit though just as his stomach started to growl.

"Let's get the belly filled." Jake pointed to the east again, and they started to walk that way. They were silent, sipping their lattes as they walked. Spencer began to recognize things again and faltered in his steps when it seemed like they were headed for H&D. Spencer looked at Jake and tried to picture him as the owner of the hottest restaurant in DC and where he was going that night with Hotch.

"Is this your place?" Spencer asked.

"Yes," Jake said, and for the first time, he sounded very suspicious.

"I'm not trying to be weird, but can we eat somewhere else? I have a date here tonight, and I don't want to spoil it as I've never eaten here before."

"A date here tonight? What is your last name?"

"I doubt you will find the reservation under my name, my date made it. My last name is Reid, though."

"The lunch menu is very different from dinner. If it makes you feel better, I won't serve you a damned thing that's on the dinner menu outside of my drink."

Spencer narrowed his eyes at his new friend and nodded his head. Jake opened the door to H&D and waved for Spencer to enter.

"Jake, you are back early," the hostess at the door said.

"I made a friend, and I want to make him my signature drink." Jake winked at the hostess, and she just laughed.

"What is your signature drink?"

"A mocha latte."

"It's a good thing I like them, huh?" Spencer followed Jake into the kitchen area, and there was a chef's table there. Spencer slipped into it when Jake waved for him to do so. He watched as Jake walked to the cooler and came out with a tray of things a few minutes later. He was wearing gloves that Spencer hadn't seen him grab.

"So, we roast our own meats here. You have a choice of cajun turkey, roast beef, or honeyed Virginia Ham. We do lunch sandwiches that we bake the bread for so we are going to use that. The meats are actually mainly for staff and the occasional dinner meal special. The ham and turkey are from that. We sliced some of each for sandwiches for the next few days. House-made chips are coming as my staff has to drop them."

Spencer looked at the meats and cheeses. There were two buns each, so he grabbed one and started to pile on a slice of each of the roast beef and ham before setting it down on the plate in front of him and adding three slices of turkey to the second. There were several kinds of cheese but only a little bit of the pepper jack. Spencer picked up all of it and split that between his sandwiches as Jake was adding just straight swiss to his two.

"My housemate likes spicy stuff as well."

"I like it but don't eat it that often when I'm working. Just to be safe."

"I can see that."

Eating was silent as Spencer didn't want to stop. The meats were wonderful, and the spices on the turkey were perfect. The chips were crispy but full of flavor. It was a damned good lunch that Spencer was upset he wouldn't be able to get all the time there.

"Dessert?" Jake asked.

"Sure." Spencer eyed the empty chip basket. Jake had one of the workers take the meats and cheeses back to the walk-in fridge after the sandwiches were made. Jake had gone out front and came back with a tray in his hand five minutes later. There were two very large mugs on there as well as a plate of what looked like cookies.

"Our standard lunch dessert: lattes, and cookies. I grabbed a few of each cookie type." Jake set the tray down, and Spencer took the mug that was closest to him as well as the plate of cookies Jake took his drink off and set it down before scooting the tray back to where someone could pick it up.

Spencer picked up a snickerdoodle cookie and took a bite. He couldn't hold in the moan that slipped from his lips. Jake laughed as he sipped his latte. Spencer finished off the cookie before he picked up his latte again to take a sip. Spencer nearly dropped the cup as the flavors exploded on his tongue. He had tasted a latte like that just once but hot chocolate like that twice. He looked at Jake.

"I've known Aaron for a great many years. I had seen you when you fell asleep on our couch, but your face has changed a little, you've lost some baby fat in the cheeks, and you are more confident and dressed very different. I said I swore I had seen you somewhere."

"Our couch?" Spencer asked.

"Aaron and I have lived together as housemates since a year after he came here from Seattle to join the BAU."

Spencer looked at Hotch's housemate. Jake was beautiful, and then the words that Hotch had told him about the loss that he had faced.

"I'm sorry," Spencer said.

"Whatever for. I should be the one saying that. I didn't put it together until you were talking about your date here tonight. It kind of all clicked. The brains, though Aaron has not told me about your sociology degree and you did not list your other three, the mannerisms that you have a love of sweet coffee. It just kind of all clicked."

"I'm sorry about Ethan. Hotch told me about it when he told me he had a housemate."

"I remember him saying something about that. The date here was to introduce you to me in a non-threatening way. I can be a little much."

"I can see that about you. It's good that I like you before I found out about you living with Hotch, huh?"

"Could you see him if we hated each other? I'd hate to lose him as a housemate. It's nice to come home to someone, even if he isn't there all the time. It's the fact that I don't live alone. I never really have. I went from home to school where I lived in a dorm to living with Ethan and a few others after college to save money and then just him and I as others left and we decided not to add anyone else. The silence was what got to me after he died."

"My mom loved my father so much that when he left us, it took a large part of her and I don't think she would ever find someone else to love or be with like that, so I understand about not wanting to replace him."

"Just as talk through the years, I've heard bits and pieces of your life with your mom. I'm glad though that I don't have to explain it to you." Jake looked at the watch on his wrist. He smiled at Spencer. "So if you don't have anything to do this afternoon, we can do a few lessons here. Maybe you can read to me out of the French book, and I'll teach you how to make the mocha sauce for the latte."

"Hotch said that you haven't even told him how to make it."

"Well, he doesn't appreciate it like you. You knew it was mine from having it once. I think that deserves something. I need to make more for upfront anyway."

"I'm dressed for the date. I didn't want to obsess on what to wear, so I went with something stylish but comfortable. I know that Hotch would never want me to get stuffy in my dress. He likes me for me, and that means my quirks."

"Like mismatching socks."

"Like my socks."

"Speaking of, let me see them," Jake said.

Spencer got out of the booth and walked around to where he could raise his pants legs, and Jake could see the socks. One was a bright, almost salmon pink color while the other was dark purple with salmon-colored hearts on it. "JJ got them for me for Christmas from Henry, she said that Henry didn't let them go after snagging them from a rack at the store. She could only think of a single person to give them to. I love them."

"Those are some socks. You have two choices right now, you can put your hair up in a ponytail or a hairnet. Neither one is going to allow your hair to stay like it is."

"I'll put it up. Bathroom?"

Jake pointed to the side of the room. Spencer saw a staff only bathroom, and he slipped inside. There were lockers and even a standup shower. Spencer walked to the mirrors and dug the ponytail holder from his pocket. He had put it in there just in case the wind when he was outside got to him while he was walking around DC. Spencer finger-combed his hair back and started to get his hair up into a messy tangle. He had done it enough when he was studying in college that he had got good at making sure it looked better than just being tossed up. He snagged the loose bits and tucked them in and around other hair and got it to where his hair looked pretty good. He tied it off with the holder and double-checked it before leaving the bathroom.

"You know if you keep it like that, Aaron's going to want to take it down and just play with it, right?" Jake asked.

That made Spencer blush. He snorted to cover it up. Jake was standing by the stove that was all alone on the far side of the room.

"This is where we cook desserts. Since everything is ready for dinner service or is as much as possible, I can use this to make the mocha sauce. What do you know of the origin of chocolate?"

"That is was not sweetened that much before it was brought back to England after Cortes invaded. Usually, vanilla or even spices were added."

"You probably know a lot more than that, but I'll let you keep your knowledge to yourself for now."

Spencer wondered if Jake was playing or he meant that he would have wanted a longer description. He could do a bigger babble, as Morgan called it, on chocolate at a later time, but for now, he was just going to keep his mouth shut. Spencer was enthralled for an hour as Jake gave him a lesson on how to make the perfect latte to making the sauce, including a white chocolate for a white mocha latte. Spencer didn't like it as well because it didn't have the spices that Jake put in the mocha and it was too sweet even for Spencer. It was better than the white mocha sauces from other places that Spencer had been to though.

There was a clatter of pans behind, and Spencer didn't turn around to see what was going on. The pans had clattered a few times. It wasn't until he heard a sound behind him, someone was coming close that he turned. It was Hotch. Spencer opened his mouth and then shut it. He had no clue what to say that wasn't going to come out really wrong.

"So look who I bumped into and then talked into lunch!" Jake said. Hotch narrowed his eyes at his housemate before he looked at Spencer.

"I didn't know who he was and he told me that he didn't recognize me."

"The confidence thing really throws off the looks and the clothes. He was like a school teacher before, and now he's a sexy FBI agent. It's kind of horrible that he's being wasted on you," Jake said.

Hotch smiled, and Spencer felt himself relax.

"Now I have a big fabulous meal that my housemate talked me into making for the man that he's head over heels for so if you two would kindly leave the kitchen, I'll get started on that. Here." Jake picked up the two cups of coffee and handed them off. He gave Hotch the white mocha. "Go take a walk or something. Make out in the front, or even my office just stay out of the kitchen."

"Come on, Reid." Hotch wrapped his arm around Spencer's shoulders and led him out.

"So you two have had sex, yes?" Spencer asked.

"Why do you ask that?"

"There is a slight difference between how he acts towards you and how he acts toward me. He has no sexual feelings for me, but there is something between you and him. Not lust just...a need to be filled."

"Yeah, I don't ever have to worry about your skills, even if you miss people flirting or hitting on you. Yes, Jake and I have sex on occasion. We are not in love, not like that. He's never going to love again and sometimes he doesn't want his hand or a stranger."

"I can see that. You two would make a fascinating study in non-romantic steady sexual pairings." Spencer took a sip of his latte. He was never going to get to sleep between the caffeine and just the date, but it was all worth it.

"No studying me like that," Hotch said the words with a laugh, but there was a seriousness to them. Spencer laughed and nodded his head in agreement. His mind was fascinated by what could happen on a study like that, but it would be best if it wasn't his lover or not yet lover on the other side of the study. He would never be able to remain objective in it.

"So what do you want to do until it's time for our reservation?" Spencer asked.

"Well, in all seriousness, I spent all day doing stuff. I just want to relax. We can camp in Jake's office and read. He has a lot of books up there. I believe that there are at least a hundred on cooking. I'm sure you can find stuff to read. I have a book up there that I read when I don't want to go home after work. We can relax and read." Hotch turned them toward the steps that led to a small second-floor office that sat over what Spencer assumed were the restroom for customers. He allowed Hotch to pull him up the steps, and then he saw the office. There was a single office chair and a loveseat. Hotch wanted to cuddle while they read, and the blush on his face confirmed it.

"Reading sounds just perfect."


	5. Chapter 4

# Chapter 4

## Early May 2009

Aaron parked the car in the driveway, happy to be home. The team had been gone on cases for nearly two weeks. They had not even been home from the first one long enough to go home from the office before they had been called to a series of fires that had claimed victims that morning. It had taken every single bit of profiling that the team had to be able to figure out the trio of UnSubs that were setting the fires. It had been Spencer who had figured out that it was more than one UnSub and while Aaron had been skeptical at first, Spencer had laid it all out in a way that had convinced the whole team. Catching them had been very quick after that.

On the way home from the first case, Aaron had made plans with Spencer for a meal at Aaron's house. Jake wasn't supposed to be going into the restaurant that night, it was his one true night off, but he had swapped it for another night when Aaron had asked him to so that they could have the house to themselves. Jake's car was still there, but it wasn't time for the date yet, so Aaron wasn't upset. Jake had been kind enough to prep things for dinner ahead of time so that Aaron had less to do. Jake just liked cooking and was happy to help Aaron in his slow seduction of Spencer.

Spencer who had shocked Aaron on the first case and then again on the second. The first he had come to Aaron's room every single night when they were there to kiss him goodnight. That helped Aaron settle at night and see that Spencer did want all of this. On the second case, when Aaron was stretched to the limit and had nearly caused a few issues because of his mutant abilities, Spencer had just shown up with his go-bag and dropped everything into the room. He and Morgan had been sharing a room on the case, and while Aaron had a double bedroom, no one was sharing with him as Dave had just bought a room on his own because he refused to sleep in the same room as anyone else. The budget committee didn't like it when they only had double rooms open and slept with one person in each room. JJ and Prentiss never had an issue rooming together and sometimes did it even when they didn't have to. Morgan and Spencer usually didn't have an issue, and that left Aaron alone most of the time as Dave didn't like to sleep in a room with someone else unless he had to or it was safety in numbers. The team had a few of those over the years where it better to have two sets of ears to listen for UnSubs with a grudge.

Just the sound of Spencer in the room with him, reading until it was time to sleep lulled Aaron to sleep and it calmed his abilities within. Aaron had woke up with that scratch inside of himself that said he was on the edge of doing something stupid. Spencer was stretched out on the bed on top of the covers with. His hand reaching for Aaron, or that was what Aaron thought. Aaron had sat down on the edge of Spencer's bed and pushed the hair that had fallen over his face in sleep away. Aaron had slowly woken Spencer up by just touching his face all over. The smile on Spencer's face the entire day had been worth it. That night and then the next morning had been a repeat.

Aaron made himself get out of the car because he wasn't going to be able to get dinner cooked or get changed out of his suit if he didn't get a move on. Spencer was probably getting ready to head over, and Aaron wanted to be prepared for when he got there. The house was locked, but the alarm was not set, which meant that Jake was most likely on the ground floor. The alarm only ever got set when they were on their bedroom floor, or Jake was cooking and blaring music in the kitchen. Because of that, the doorbell in the house dimmed the main lights when it was rung. After several times where Jake did not hear the doorbell because of his music, Aaron had installed a system that had been created for those with low or no hearing. It had worked well and was nice because it could be silenced as well, so if one of them was sickly, they could ignore the doorbell. Especially around election time.

Shutting and locking the door, Aaron made his way to the stairs. Aaron could hear him on the phone. Aaron stopped when he heard Jake laugh. It was a fond laugh, and Aaron was only used to hearing that tone when Jake was on the phone with him and sometimes Clarabelle the lady down the street that was the neighborhood gossip, but she was a sweetie with little to do since her arthritis got worse. The neighborhood took turns taking care of her yard in spring, summer, and fall.

"No, no, and no." Jake laughed again. So Aaron looked around into the living room to see that Jake was running around in his underwear. Whoever had called had done so while Jake had been dressing for work, it seemed. Jake waved at Aaron before waving him up the steps. Aaron heard Jake's voice follow him, so it appeared that Jake had decided to finish getting ready for heading into the restaurant. The dinner date with Spencer at H&D had been one of the best dates that Aaron had been on. Spencer's love of good food had made Aaron a little uncomfortable in the groin region. Aaron had never heard anyone make those kinds of noises with food before, but he didn't feel that bad because the staff that worked closest to the chef's table had the same reaction. Aaron had seen more than one male with a hard-on and more than one woman who rubbed their legs together. Jake had looked at them a few times, and the look in his eye said that even Jake would be willing to take him to bed after that. Dessert had just made it worse because of course Jake mad Spencer another latte.

Aaron was still jealous that Spencer knew the ingredients for the mocha sauce, but he knew that Jake had done it for that reason. Aaron didn't like his latte sweet and usually just got a plain latte when he went places, but the mocha with very little sugar at all was like heaven to Aaron. Aaron was walking to the closet to find clothes to wear when he heard Jake's voice getting a little louder.

"No, no. Even adding one thing will change the composition and that's why it's one of the harder of the fudges to get set up in the right way. I'm sure that we could do a chemical composition breakdown to find the exact melting point, but why would we need to when we have me?"

Aaron walked to the phone that was in his room and picked it up. He was very glad that Jake was talking over the landline phone and not his cell because he would not be able to eavesdrop on the call.

"But even your impeccable gut is no substitute for good science," Spencer said.

Aaron frowned a little because Spencer had never asked for Jake's number and Jake had never asked for Spencer's, and while this was the home phone, only JJ and Garcia had that number as Aaron was never without his work or personal cell phone. There was no need for the team to have the house number. Aaron listened in on them talking about melting points of certain substances, some food, and some not. They sounded like two kids in a candy store, and while Aaron wanted to feel jealous, he wasn't. He was enjoying that his best friend was getting along with the man he was dating and vice versa. It was going to make the coming months a lot better not to have to fight with the two of them over their time.

Hanging up the phone, Aaron shook his head at the high pitched out Spencer's voice made when he was really excited. He guessed that Spencer was going to be a little bit late. It was easy to pick clothes because Aaron was going to be cooking so nothing that would matter if it got food on it. He found a pair of his soft and worn jeans before grabbing a polo to wear. After deciding not to wear socks, Aaron walked across the hall to Jake's room. He wasn't on the phone anymore and was instead finding a pair of pants to wear. He was deciding between two pairs of tan pants, just different shades. He had on a black t-shirt. His chef's jacket would go over that. Jake slipped on the lighter of the two pairs of pants and picked up the house phone again.

"Sorry. I think that took longer than I said it would," Jake said into the phone. He looked up at that moment to see Aaron standing in the doorway. "Wow, Aaron looks jealous."

Aaron didn't hear Spencer's response, but Jake spoke again pretty quickly.

"He's standing and glaring at me. It looks very much like he's jealous that I'm talking to you and he's not."

"Don't believe a single word he is saying," Aaron said loud enough so that Spencer could hear him.

"Yeah, I know. He's kind of cute when he's jealous. I'll let you go so you can pull out of the parking lot you are in and get over here so I can stop getting that look." Jake grinned at whatever Spencer said and then hung up the phone.

"So how long has that been going on?" Aaron asked, looking at the phone.

"Not long for calls. I texted him a few times. That day you were in DC for meetings all day long at the Hoover building I got onto your phone and got his personal cell number. I wanted to ask him something and didn't want you to have to play middleman. Then he texted me and asked me something about food. It's just kind of grown. It's fun to talk about food science with him."

"I see. And is there much talk of me?"

"No, he doesn't like to talk to me about you because I am your friend and I would be obligated to tell you what we talk about. Or it would slip out."

"That sounds like a Spencer answer.

"Yes, well. He already brought that up." Jake looked at his watch and frowned. "I've got to get going if I want to get to work early as I wanted."

Aaron followed behind Jake because it was just normal for them to walk each other out of the house. Aaron opened the door for him as he bent down to get his backpack, which he had to have brought out of hiding because it hadn't been there by the door when Aaron had gotten home. It might have been in the living room where he had been talking. Though Jake was good as slipping into places that it wasn't that visible.

"I have dinner started. I made choices based on what looked good at the market today. You don't get to gripe about what I cook. You asked me to get a few things prepped, and well there won't be a lot you'll have to do other than finish the Wellingtons." Jake was out the door as he talked, stopping on the top step to give Aaron a peck on the cheek. He chuckled, and Aaron looked at him to see Spencer pulling into the driveway and parking behind Aaron's car.

Jake waved at Aaron a few steps down and turned to wave at Spencer. He made sure to go slow enough to where he would meet Spencer at the front of Aaron's car. He gave Spencer a peck on the cheek and grinned at him.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Jake yelled out.

"There's not much you won't do so that leaves a lot for Spencer and me to do," Aaron said. He laughed when Jake flipped him off.

"Not sure I like this side of Aaron Hotchner," Spencer said, but he was grinning as he said it. He stopped in front of Aaron on the steps leading into the house. "And Jake's in a fine mood."

"He got to do his favorite kind of cooking, the kind that he doesn't have to clean up after. He got some of the food started for dinner and left me with everything to clean up I would bet." Aaron reached out and tangled his fingers into Spencer's hair before tugging him those last few steps that would bring them into kissing range. He took that kiss and enjoyed it. Spencer wasn't passive, but he was hesitant. Aaron stepped back, pulling Spencer with him. He kept going back until Spencer cleared the door and then shut it with his other hand. Aaron pressed Spencer back into that door. Spencer's hands slid up his chest to wrap around the back of his neck, keeping Aaron closer. Their lower bodies were not touching, but Aaron could feel Spencer's want. Aaron could feel his own coursing through his body. He really wanted, but he didn't know if he was ready to take that full step. He would see how far he was comfortable with when they made it to the couch after dinner.

Aaron stepped just one step back and tried to give them some distance as he felt his control slipping away, not the control to not just rip off Spencer's clothes right there in the hallway but the control on his abilities. He felt the charge building in the air. He needed to talk Jake into a weekend at the cabin in the woods of Virginia that Aaron had bought a few years back. He could let himself go out there. Then maybe the next time that he went, Spencer could come as well, and it would be just the two of them. A weekend where the only thing they had to worry about was who was cooking sounded like a good plan for some time in the future.

Spencer tightened his hold on Aaron, but when it was inevitable that Aaron was stepping away, Spencer changed his plan. He raked his nails across Aaron's exposed neck and then down his body. He gripped Aaron's shirt right over his abdomen. Before Spencer could pull him close, Aaron gave in and closed the distance between them. Aaron gripped the back of Spencer's head just tight enough to give a little pain, and when Spencer gasped, Aaron licked into his mouth. He would stop them from taking it further, but dammit he wanted this at least for a few minutes. Spencer gave back as good as he got, their tongues tangling and pushing from one mouth to the other. Aaron felt the charge building on his skin, but he ignored it. He knew well how to control his abilities and would never let them win. Aaron braced his arm on the door, holding himself and Spencer up almost. Spencer's hands dug into Aaron's skin, trying to find purchase.

Sex had never been an issue before. Sex with Haley had been good, sex with Jake was so much better. Jake would do whatever Aaron wanted, and Aaron would do whatever Jake wanted. There was no issue with experimenting. There was no worry about holding too hard, leaving a bruise, or anything like that. If Aaron's touch had a little zap to it because he hadn't let his abilities out, Jake didn't care. Sex with Spencer though seemed like it was going to be different. Spencer's presence sent Aaron's abilities into overdrive it appeared. The touch of skin on skin had Aaron pulling his mouth away to gasp out Spencer's name. Aaron felt his control slipping more, and he knew that he needed to stop, or he wasn't going to be able to control what his abilities did.

The thought of what he was going to tell Spencer tonight had what felt like cold water being dumped down Aaron's back. He inhaled and exhaled. Aaron pulled away from Spencer and looked at him. Spencer's eyes looked like they were trying to read Aaron by just looking at him. Aaron wasn't sure that he wanted to be that bare to Spencer ever. He didn't know if he could do that again. He had bared himself to Haley and had lost her. Spencer though at least was a Mutant.

"Something changed in you. Just now. It was like you remembered that the oven was on or something."

"Have you ever wanted something and then thought that maybe what you thought was going to happen on the way acquiring that made you think you wouldn't be able to get it?" Aaron asked.

"I'm glad you are not asking that to me when all of my brainpower is elsewhere. I think I understood that. You think that there is something about you that will turn me away from you." The smile that Spencer gave Aaron was beautiful. It made Aaron want to see it early in the morning after a night of doing wonderful and dirty things to each other. To see that over the breakfast table with Spencer grinned over a coffee cup as Aaron can't help but touch him in some way so that their feet are tangled together. It was way too early for thoughts like that and Aaron knew that Spencer had no prior relationships to tie this to so he would have no way of processing those wants. Aaron was pretty sure if he told Spencer what he wanted, Spencer would think him a freak and go very far away. Aaron had always been the settling type. He wanted them being together as much as possible as quick as possible. He could reign it in, and sometimes he did. Working together helped to settle Aaron's wants because they were together more than most people who dated would be.

"Yes."

"And you are afraid to say it."

"Yes."

"Then how about I talk instead? I tell you what I know about you."

"Okay." Aaron would let him talk and then slip it in.

"I know that you are a noble and wonderful man who would put your life on the line for any person on the team and even for victims. You love fiercely, and I've seen it in regards to Sean even if he doesn't understand why you hate your parents when he doesn't. You are so good and have a lot of control." Spencer let go of Aaron to brush his fingers over the backs of Aaron's hands. He leaned in just a little bit closer before grinning. Aaron could just see the curl on his lips. "I know that you have the best control of every single Mutant that I have ever met."

Aaron was soaking up the feelings that he was feeling more than he was the words that Spencer said and it was why it took him several seconds to realize that Spencer had called him a Mutant. Aaron reared back and stared at Spencer's face. Only Spencer's legs were keeping him right where he was.

"How?"

"Your reactions to things over the years as well as a few things you've said. Only Mutants and Mutant haters would be the ones to read some of the studies that are being put out by groups across the world. You are a very private man, just like me and if it weren't for the fact that I had no control over the world basically knowing I am a Mutant, I would never tell anyone either. Just like sexuality, the only people that need to know are the ones I'm taking to bed. I was going to let you bring it up in your own time. Jake's pretty open about his so I figured that it would be soon."

"Well," Aaron said before he stopped. He wasn't sure what he wanted to say next. He hadn't actually put much thought into what he wanted Spencer's reaction to be to his revelation but to have Spencer already know. Aaron really had no idea what to say to that.

"Aaron Hotchner, speechless. I think that's a first."

"Not a first just very, very rare. That kind of took the wind from my sails as it were. I wasn't expecting you to have already figured it out." Aron felt a great weight lifted off of his shoulders, though. He brushed his lips over Spencer's in a small form of affection. Spencer moved with him.

"The FBI allows for Mutants who have good control to keep their status secret. I filed my paperwork with that in mind, hoping to get a good distance from the issues I had in college, but there was no chance of that because Gideon told nearly everyone after I graduated. I had to accept it. It isn't like intelligence would ever actually hurt anyone so it's not like my mutation, the widely accepted one would actually damage anyone." Spencer shrugged and gave him a look that said there was little else he could do except accept what had happened. "Can we just not talk about things like this the rest of the night. I just want to enjoy being back in town and spend the evening with you."

"That sounds good to me." Aaron kissed Spencer for several minutes, building back up that feeling of slight arousal in them both before he forced himself out of the hold that Spencer's legs had on him, and he walked to the stove to figure out what Jake had started cooking. He looked down into the oven to see that their appetizers were mussels. There was a sauce with them, and each one had already been loosened from the shell. He pulled the tray out using the glove that was beside the stove and set them down. Spencer laughed as he saw what they were. "Jake started this, and it seems that he's got a single theme."

"Getting you laid?"

"Please no lectures on peas or chocolate or anything like that." Aaron picked up the first mussel, and Spencer reached for one, but Aaron slapped his hand away. Spencer pouted but tucked his hand into his lap. Aaron pressed the shell to Spencer's lips, and he opened his mouth and tipped his head back so that Aaron could tip the mussel and its sauce into his mouth. Spencer closed his eyes and groaned in very happy appreciation. Aaron knew what the sauce was without even tasting it. He ate his own mussel before picking up another one for Spencer. Jake had only made eight, so it wasn't long before those were gone. The next course was a salad that Aaron let Spencer eat on his own while he got the main dish put together. The smell of spices and seared meat filled the room. Aaron made sure to check the temperature on the oven before he put the beef wellingtons in there. He picked up his salad to finish eating it.

"I don't think I have ever eaten beef wellington before," Spencer said as he reached out and tugged on the loop on Aaron's jeans to get him close. Aaron finished off his salad quickly and washed his mouth out with a gulp of wine. "What are we going to do if I hate it?"

"Order pizza," Aaron said with a curl to his lips. He used a thumb to brush up and down the column of Spencer's throat before he pressed on the underside of the chin to have Spencer tip his head up. Aaron followed the path his thumb had taken with his lips before going back down with his teeth. Spencer settled his hands on Aaron's sides.

"I think maybe dessert should come first or you are going to eat me instead," Spencer said before he sighed in pleasure as Aaron licked at the pulse point on the right side.

"Dessert is you," Aaron said against Spencer's skin. "So that is not going to help."

Aaron tipped Spencer's face back down with a thumb on his chin. He took Spencer's lips in a searing kiss. Aaron closed the distance between them and wrapped an arm around Spencer's waist. Spencer's legs settled on Aaron's hips. He pressed his hands into Aaron's sides tighter but didn't do anything more than that.

Aaron was lost in alternating between devouring Spencer's lips when he could and pressing kisses into the skin when he needed a break, so the timer going off on the oven scared him. Spencer chuckled at Aaron's jump that he made. Aaron retaliated by settling his hands on Spencer's thighs and running them up and stopping just shy of touching his balls. Spencer moaned as Aaron dug his thumbs in just a little.

"Is that for laughing at you? Because if that's to get me to stop, you might be using the wrong kind of stick. It looks a little too much like a carrot."

Aaron laughed and used his hold on Spencer to pull him off of the counter.

"Dinner isn't something I can feed you easily, or you can eat up there. So we are going to sit at the table like normal people."

"It's boring being normal, but I would rather eat the food than wear it."

The discussion over dinner turned to innocuous things. Exciting things that either of them had seen. Spencer insisted on helping Aaron with the dishes while talking about the invention of the dishwashing machine. When the dishes were in the drainer, Aaron pulled Spencer close, hand still wet. Spencer tried to wiggle away, but Aaron held onto him tightly, drawing him in for a kiss. Aaron knew the layout of the house perfectly, so when he pushed at Spencer, they didn't crash into anything. They walked until Aaron knew they were in the living room. Aaron felt Spencer run into something, and they both parted to look and see what it was. It was the edge of the couch. Aaron pushed on Spencer just that little bit more to where he fell down on the couch. Aaron made sure he was okay before he climbed on top of him. Spencer's legs spread instantly, and Aaron slotted himself between them. Aaron kissed Spencer, shoving his tongue inside of his mouth as soon as his lips were parted.

Aaron lost himself in the taste of Spencer, the wine, and spices from the beef wellington mixing to make Spencer taste really good. Aaron was holding himself up so he could only touch with one hand, but Spencer wasn't limited like that. He touched, on top of clothes and then when he was feeling bold under Aaron's shirt that he untucked from his jeans. Spencer shuddered as Aaron cupped him through his pants. Aaron nimbly twisted his hand to where he could get the zipper down on Spencer's pants before unbuckling the belt he was wearing followed by the single button holding them closed. He teased Spencer by brushing his cock through his pants.

Spencer thrust his hips up and tried to get more pressure more friction, but he never separated their mouths. Their moans, groans, and gasps were swallowed by each other as Aaron teased Spencer and himself really. Aaron finally pulled the band on Spencer's underwear down and thumbed at the head of his cock. Spencer jerked his mouth away and cussed. Aaron felt a little pride at that, but it didn't last long before he fully got his hand on Spencer's cock.

There was the sound of a chime, and Aaron groaned. He started to let go, but Spencer's hand stopped him.

"It's just my cell. It's fine. If it's important, I'll get a call." Spencer pulled Aaron in close and kissed him. Aaron was just about to slip his tongue inside Spencer's mouth again when Aaron's work cell went off. It was JJ's ringtone, and there was only one reason she would be calling from that phone.

Aaron looked around to see his phone on the coffee table. Jake must have put it there as Aaron had left it in his briefcase by the door. Aaron fumbled for the phone, releasing Spencer's cock unwillingly. He looked at the text that JJ had sent the whole team.

"Case in northern Virginia. We are needed ASAP, three children missing."

"I have a go-bag in my car." Spencer waited for Aaron to get up and answer the phone before he started to right his clothes on his body. Aaron hated to see him putting away a hard cock, but there was no time to lose. Aaron was going to have them all meet at the airfield.

"JJ, why the call?"

"The jet won't be ready in time. We can drive there faster. So Anderson is getting a hold of the local unit to get an SUV released to me. Morgan and Prentiss are still at Quantico so they will get one from there and pick up Rossi. I'm heading to get the local one, and I'll pick you two up. Is Spence there?"

"Yes," Aaron said, and he wasn't shocked that JJ knew about them. He had not told Spencer not to tell anyone, but Spencer had never said that he had told JJ either.

"Don't be mad. I caught him getting ready for his date tonight. It kind of slipped out. Did you at least get to eat?"

"Yes." Aaron looked for his personal cell and found it. He started to text Jake to tell him what was up, but as he was, he got one from him that told him to be safe. Aaron looked at Spencer to see he was hunched over his phone.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes," JJ said before she hung up.

"JJ"s going to pick us up. With the jet, it will take just as much time for that to happen as it would to drive where we have to go. We will be first on the scene with Morgan, Prentiss, and Rossi arriving an hour later."

"Lights and siren the whole way?" Spencer asked.

"Yes."

Spencer nodded his head and stood up. His clothes looked a little rumpled, like he had been working all day but thankfully nothing worse than that. Aaron looked down at himself and frowned. He would have just enough time to change, so he rushed to the steps. He was glad that Spencer didn't follow, that would get them doing something other than getting Aaron changed. Though his erection had died when he had read about the case, sometimes their job sucked.


	6. Chapter 5

# Chapter 5

## Mid-May 2009

Spencer knew that Morgan had called Aaron. Aaron knew what had happened, and he knew what had gone on, but Spencer was still heartbroken when Aaron walked up to the glass that separated Spencer from the outside world. Spencer swallowed around the lump in his throat, and he saw the sheen of a little bit of unshed tears in Aaron's eyes.

"Do you need anything?"

"No, my phone is in here, and I can call Morgan if I need anything before I can be taken out. I am going to start looking for the cure as soon as you go."

"Let's get you a suit, wait for that."

"I'm already exposed, and I've gotten the max dose possible. There is nothing a suit will do that will help me, and it will only hinder me, Hotch."

"Aaron, God, please Spencer, Aaron."

"I can't. I can't start to act like that because if I do, I'm going to cry and I can't cry right now. I can't break down. I need to stay the course and find the cure so I can get out of here and we can finally finish that date. Preferable not on the couch but in your bed." It was the only consolation that Spencer would do. He was afraid that if he did start to call him Aaron, he was going to break down. Spencer hadn't wanted to see him. Seeing Morgan on the other side of the glass was terrible enough.

Aaron reached out and touched the glass, laying his hand over it. Spencer raised up his and pressed back. The glass was cold, but for a second, Spencer was sure that he could feel it warming up.

"I have to go. I want to be here, but I'm needed elsewhere."

"You go do what you have to do, and I'll do what I need to do."

"You have to fight, Spencer. I don't care if I make you cry, but you have to fight. You do everything that you can to make sure that you live through this because I need you. I'm probably saying too much too soon, but we were just getting started, but I love what we have been doing. I want this for the rest of my life. Waking up with you in my bed, hearing you laughing, watching you read at that amazing speed that you do. I want that, but you have to live for me to have that."

"I will fight. When have I ever given up? Me finding the cure is not me giving up. You go and do what you need to do, and I'll do what I need to do. We aren't helping each other just standing here talking."

Aaron looked conflicted, and for a second, Spencer felt pride at that. Words sometimes were meaningless. It was actions. Aaron Hotchner had never let anyone split his focus on the job, and yet here he was debating sending Morgan to do the job that Aaron was best for. Aaron's eyes hardened just slightly, and he moved to take a step back but thought better of it and stepped even closer to the glass.

"One kiss before I go."

"Do you know what kind of germs there are on this glass?" Spencer said. He was only half-joking, and it was mainly to stop him from crying. Aaron laughed. Spencer stepped up closer to the glass and closed his eyes before pressing his lips to it. Aaron could be the one to make sure they matched up. Spencer felt like he was on a knife's edge, and this could be the thing that tipped him over. After fifteen seconds, Spencer pressed his forehead to the glass and removed his lips. He didn't open his eyes; he was too scared to. "I love you."

Spencer heard the gasp, but he still didn't open his eyes. He hadn't meant to say that. He felt it, but he hadn't meant to say it. It was too soon, just like Aaron's words before but just saying the phrase released something in Spencer and he was afraid that if he had kept those words inside, something would happen. It was too soon, but it felt like it was too late as well.

"Look at me, Spencer," Aaron whispered just loud enough to be heard with the glass between them. Spencer shook his head in answer. "Yes."

That tone, the Hotch tone that everyone on the team knew had Spencer looking up.

"You are going to make it out of this. You are going to find that cure, and you are going to live. That's the only way you are going to hear those words from me, even if I do feel them. I'm not saying them until you are cured."

"Okay," Spencer said. He pressed his hand to the glass one more time, and Aaron did as well. It seemed that neither of them wanted to be the one to turn away first, so Spencer forced himself to do it. He turned and walked to one of the desks and started to look through it. It was one of the only times that Spencer was happy about his reading speed. There would be no other way to get through all of the files in the room without it. His hated supposed mutation was going to help save his life because he wanted those words. He wanted to hear Aaron say them. He wanted to feel Aaron on him, naked unlike that night on the couch. Just the feel of Aaron's hand on his cock had nearly made Spencer come that night.

Spencer looked around the room, dropping papers on the desk. He needed a way to search that would allow him not to miss anything. A search pattern or grid. He needed to look logically. He looked around, picked his starting point, and went. No paper too small was left unread. Nothing was left to chance.

There was no track of time for Spencer other than how bad he started to feel. He barely remembered people talking to him other than Morgan. He gave Morgan everything that he found. Everything that was needed to make sure that they found out the protege before time expired.

Spencer felt his breathing start to be affected, and he knew that he needed to make sure that no matter what, his mother would hear from him. Spencer dialed Garcia.

"Hey, Reid," Garcia said and there was nothing in her voice.

Spencer laughed. "What no witty Garcia greeting for me?"

"I can't be myself when you are where you are."

Spencer understood that he did, but he had wanted that witty greeting. He wanted that thing that said that everything was going to be fine. "I need you to do something for me, Garcia."

"Anything."

"Mom. I can't call Bennington without alerting them that something is wrong. I can't write a letter because it would be destroyed when the lab is cleaned up, but I can leave a voice message for her."

"Sure thing but nothing is going to happen to you. You are going to be brilliant and figure this out and come home to us."

"I hope you are right, but just in case I really want to make sure that she hears my voice."

"Just give me a second."

Spencer could hear things on the other side as Garcia set up her system to record the incoming phone call.

"Ready," Garcia said.

"Hi, Mom. It's Spencer. I just really want you to know that I love you and-" Spencer felt his voice crack and he cleared his throat. "I need you to know that I spend every day of my life proud to be your son. I lived my life to the fullest, and I fell in love with a wonderful person. I hope that when the time comes, you don't blame them for my death. I died loved, and I died saving the world."

Spencer swallowed and tried to clear his throat again, it caught but not from the anthrax but just from so much emotion. "That's it for that one, Garcia. This next one I need you to do me a big favor on. I need you to record it and then transfer it and delete it from your archives. I'm going to give you the address to send it to."

"Oh, let me get an envelope." Garcia made a lot of noise while she searched, and Spencer could hear her tears as she tried to hold them back. If he had anyone else that he could call he would have, but he trusted Garcia to make sure that everything was done the way that he wanted if he didn't find what he needed to save his own life. "Ready."

Spencer gave her the address and to send it to J.D. without telling her where he was sending it. It wouldn't take much for her to look it up, but he hoped that she didn't.

"Recording again," Garcia said after a few seconds pause.

"A, it's me. I know that this is probably the last thing that you want to hear, but I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you and that I am sorry that between our jobs it ruined our chance to be with each other in a carnal way. I died knowing that you love me, even if I never heard the words and I am not sorry that I said it first because at least you will have that help you through the process of grieving. I would have been happy with you for the rest of my life and that I would have needed nothing else. I don't want you to become like your housemate, though. I don't want you to decide that I am it. You need love, and I want you to find it elsewhere." Spencer took a deep breath to try and stop himself from crying. Garcia didn't need to hear that, and the point for crying could come later. "That's it, Garcia."

There was nothing but silence from Garcia, verbally that it. Spencer heard the disc tray on the computer open. The sound of a package fluttering.

"It's done. I have it in the envelope, and I'm going to stick it in my drawer. I'll mail it first thing after-" Garcia stopped, and it sounded like she was trying not to cry.

"If I make it through, destroy that."

"When, Reid. When you make it through, I'll destroy it."

Spencer looked up to see that Kimura was entering the room in a suit. It was time for her to try and force him out, but he wasn't going to have it as long as he could move. As long as he could think he was going to find the cure to save his life. "Goodbye, Garcia."

"Goodbye for now."

Garcia sounded hopeful and Spencer wanted to be genuinely optimistic, but he was unsure. He looked as Kimura got the dead body ready for transport. It was step one in clearing the room to decontaminate it. The last thing that Spencer needed to do was to find the cure and to help the team figure out who the accomplice was. He had that to focus on before he could give up.

* * *

There was the sound of breathing, and Spencer tried to remember where he was. It was dark in the room, but that didn't mean a thing. He looked around to see if he could figure out where he was when he felt someone on him. He looked to where that weight was and found that it was Aaron. Aaron was asleep in the bed with him. If it wasn't for the nose cannula on him and the machines that were giving the room what little light it had, Spencer could think that they were either at his apartment or at Aaron's house.

Closing his eyes to enjoy the warmth of Aaron with him, Spencer remembered where he was. He was in the hospital after contracting anthrax. He had made it. With his help, the cure had been found, and Spencer had been rushed to the hospital. Spencer raised his arm to see that he still had a needle in his arm that was giving him fluids. He knew that he had a catheter in. Spencer had perfect knowledge of how long his recovery period would be. Though it could be quicker given the stain of anthrax as well as the fact that he had Cipro beforehand. Spencer frowned as he looked at his hand. It was shaking. He didn't feel like hew as the one shaking, and that was he realized that Aaron was the one shaking.

Spencer lowered his hand and moved it over to card it through Aaron's hair. He shuddered as he felt that it was Aaron who was shaking, and it was from tears. Spencer had never thought that he would make Aaron cry. Hell, Spencer didn't think that anyone could ever make Aaron Hotchner cry.

"I'm sorry," Spencer said.

"I hated leaving you in there, but you were right that it was the best option. You found what you were looking for and it would have been longer before anyone else did. You also helped us figure out who the accomplice was. You were the lynchpin for this case, and it would have been worse without you." Aaron didn't lift his face up to look at Spencer, but he did push back into Spencer's hand. "How long are you going to be here?"

"Two weeks? Maybe three. I don't know. This was an untested strain, and while I took Cipro that might not have done anything." Spencer tried to roll his shoulder to get Aaron to lift his head up, but he couldn't move that way. His body still hurt. While Spencer had not had a physical addiction to Dilaudid, he had not wanted to get a mental one to it and even though he went to meetings to talk after being drugged by Hankle for days, he had not wanted to take anything for the pain. The non-narcotic medicines were less effective, but Spencer was fine with that. He watched as the door to his room opened. Doctor Kimura stepped in with a syringe in her hand, it was more pain medicine. She had nothing to them but gave Spencer a smile.

Aaron was silent as well. Spencer wondered what he had said to her to allow him inside. Especially overnight, though that could have been him telling her that he could handle Spencer better than anyone, however, that didn't explain the whole being in the same bed as Spencer.

"So why are you sleeping next to me?" Spencer asked.

"No sleeping involved on my side. I'm just laying here. You are the one sleeping. You were restless, so I climbed into bed with you, and you settled down immediately. Morgan told me that he stole your Jell-O, so I got you more. Doctor Kimura wants me to get you to eat as much as you can. So I picked up a few things you liked and then got yelled at when I stopped to get a go-bag."

"Yelled at?"

"By Jake."

"Why would Jake yell at you?"

"You don't remember? Morgan said that you remembered it all." Aaron sat up on the bed and looked down at Spencer.

"Aaron, I don't understand." Spencer tried to push himself up, but Aaron pushed him back down. Aaron leaned over him, almost looming.

"I love you, and I look forward to our getting to know each other in a carnal way."

Spencer was confused until the word carnal triggered his memory of the message he had made for Aaron.

"She wasn't supposed to send that!"

"I know, but it still got sent out. After you hung up, I called her, and I think she forgot and someone picked it up. It was marked urgent, so a courier dropped it off to Jake just an hour after you had been given the antidote. He listened to it and even after he realized it was for me, he listened to it all the way through. I nearly yelled at him, but he was freaked out. He did research into what you can eat and what you need. I don't think you'll be eating hospital food at all. I have some Jell-O and pudding cups right now, but in the morning I would expect his food. I've already cleared it with Doctor Kimura. She agrees that anything you eat will be good as long as you eat."

"She wasn't supposed to mail that," Spencer said and it was what he was stuck on. He hadn't wanted Aaron to know any of that unless he was dead. "What about Mom's?"

"That one was never burned to a CD. Garcia called me and asked if I could try and intercept the CD, but I told her that it was already given to the person and that they had contacted me. Since you sent it to J.D. at H&D, it wouldn't be hard for her to hack it. Though she knows that A is not J.D., She's distraught that you have been hiding someone from the team, but I talked her down into not looking into it that you deserved whatever privacy that you wanted from the team."

"Thank you," Spencer said. He reached up with his good arm and brushed at the tears that were still clinging to the area under Aaron's eyelid. Aaron leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to his lips.

"I promised Doctor Kimura that I would keep things chaste between us. Your oxygen monitor is not coming off, and if you drop down any, this room is going to fill with people, and that's not worth a good kiss."

"I'll just have to get better fast so that we can kiss like that. And do more than that." Spencer pulled Aaron back down with a hand on his cheek. He pressed their lips together. He tried to catalog how he was feeling, but he couldn't place it. He had never felt like he did at the time, though from the moment he had started to feel the symptoms of anthrax, he realized that he was not prepared for that. "I think I can eat."

"Good." Aaron scooted off of the bed slowly, and Spencer realized that he was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. He looked very different from how he had looked before. Gone was the suit that was synonymous with Agent Aaron Hotchner. Aaron pulled up one of those reusable shopping bags that Spencer had come to recognize as Jake's for the market that he shopped at for work and at home. Out came a cup of chocolate pudding as well as a red Jello-O as well as a green. Aaron cracked all three of them and set them down on the table he rolled over to the bed, but he only set down a single spoon. The thought of eating that much had Spencer cringing. He started to reach for a cup, but Aaron's hand caught his hand and lowered it back to the bed.

"What?" Spencer asked.

"Just let me do this. Maybe later you can feed yourself but I just...I need to not feel helpless." Aaron lifted the spoon and scraped out a little it of pudding before holding it out to Spencer. It had been years since Spencer had allowed someone to feed him like this. The night with Aaron and the mussels wasn't the same. That had been erotic and a precursor to something more which had not happened but this. Aaron feeding him when he was sick was a totally different act. It was an act of caring that Spencer wasn't used to. Aaron paused with the spoon most of the way to Spencer's mouth because Spencer hadn't opened his lips up yet. Spencer took a shallow breath. He wasn't well enough for a deeper breath, not without starting to cough again.

Spencer opened his mouth, and Aaron slipped the spoon in. When it was withdrawn, and Spencer was slowly swallowing what was in his mouth, Aaron loaded up some of the green Jello-O to the spoon. Spencer wondered where Aaron thought he was going to put that because it sure as hell wasn't in Spencer's mouth. He swallowed maybe a little bit too quick to tell him that when Aaron lifted it up to his own mouth. Aaron ate it silently while he got a little more pudding on the spoon for Spencer. That was the way that it went. Aaron would feed Spencer something small and take a bite of his Jello-O while Spencer swallowed.

"Strawberry," Spencer said with a grin as he got his first bite of Jell-O. He settled back on the bed because he was tired. He had been sleeping a lot over the past day, but still, he was worn out. He didn't figure that he would have eaten as much as he had if he had been feeding himself. Aaron scooted closer with the cup of Jello-O and fed Spencer the rest as quickly as Spencer could eat it. His other hand settled onto Spencer's stomach, holding the cup. Spencer could barely keep his eyes open, but he trusted that when he woke up, Aaron would be there.

"This is the last bite," Aaron said, tapping the underside of the spoon on Spencer's bottom lip.

Spencer opened his mouth and allowed Aaron to slip the spoon inside. Spencer only half-heartedly chewed until he remembered that his throat might not be up to big chunks of even Jell-O and he chewed a little better before swallowing. He felt Aaron covering him up with a thicker blanket, and a kiss was pressed to his forehead as he started to slip under into sleep. Spencer made a little moaning noise and pursed his lips. Aaron chuckled and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"Next time you wake up, I'll tell you the words you want." Aaron sounded smitten as he said it and Spencer almost got his eyes open to see the look on his face, but he couldn't open them. Aaron's knuckles rubbed down Spencer's cheek, and then he was asleep.

* * *

"I don't know, Doctor Reid. I think that you have the worse end of the deal," Doctor Kimura as she stared at him in the wheelchair that he had been helped into by Aaron. "Your team hasn't left you alone a single day, and now you have these two going to play nursemaid."

"I think I might get away with more things if I stayed here." Spencer was smiling as he said the words and looked at Jake, who was talking to the nutritionist in the hallway. Aaron was behind him, making sure that everything from Spencers two week stay in the hospital had been picked up and was out in the car. There was only a single bag left to grab. Jake was going to push him out of the hospital with Aaron walking beside. The two had literally played a game of rock-paper-scissors for the job of pushing him. Aaron had pouted for five minutes when Jake had won. Spencer had laughed at the two of them until he had started to cough so bad that he couldn't breathe. That had stopped the bickering between Aaron and Jake, and both had turned to focus on him.

Spencer was still on bed rest until he could go to the bathroom and not get winded. He was only being released to Jake and Aaron's care because he didn't need medical help as much as just help to do daily things. He couldn't cook or bathe himself, but he could sit in bed, sit on the couch, and just laze about. He could do that anywhere. Doctor Kimura had started to look into home health help for the bathing part, but before Spencer could say anything, Jake and Aaron had said they could handle it. Doctor Kimura had looked at Spencer as the last answer, and he had agreed that he would rather have them help than a stranger.

"Ready to go?" Aaron asked as Jake entered the room.

"Yup, I have a good food plan for the next few weeks."

"I'll be calling daily, Doctor Reid and I had better hear that you are a perfect patient."

"Don't worry, Doc, I'll make sure that he's a good boy," Jake said winking at Doctor kimura.

Spencer narrowed his eyes at Jake to try and glare, but Jake just laughed.

"When the team arrives, I'll tell them to give you a few days to get settled as today is going to wear you out. I'll handle Agent Morgan."

"You are one of the few that can," Spencer said. He leaned forward in the chair to hold out his hand. Doctor Kimura reached over and shook his hand.

"You helped more than just yourself, Doctor Reid. I read the report on what happened to get you infected. You could not have stopped that. You made a fast decision to stop Agent Morgan from being infected. So you did well."

"Thank you." Spence nodded his head in agreement. He had talked it out with Aaron and with Morgan, but still, there was the fact that Spencer wondered if he had been more focused on what was around him and not on the papers to read over and such, he might have seen it before he was infected.

There were no more words spoken as Jake got behind Spencer to push him out. Aaron walked beside them, Spencer's bag slung over his shoulder. Jake was gentle as they moved from level floor to the elevator, jostling Spencer only a little. Aaron's hand settled on Spencer's shoulder as the door shut. Spencer looked up at him.

Spencer was worried about staying at Aaron's for weeks, maybe even up to three months. Doctor Kimura had already told him that she would not release him to work before two months after infection but that it would all be very loose on the timetable for right now. Even if at two months he was well enough to work, he would not be allowed out into the field more than just going to the station houses or going to safe locations. She did not want him chasing anyone. Spencer had tried to tell her that he wasn't one of those agents, but she wasn't listening to him. Aaron had been no help.

"You can stay longer; she won't release you if you don't feel you are ready," Aaron said.

"That's not what I am worried about. Though I wonder how you know, I was worried?"

"You are sitting upright more, and it's how you always sit on cases when you are worried over something. So what are you worried about?"

"You'll think it's stupid."

"When have I thought that anything you do or say is stupid? If you are worried about it, it's not stupid." Aaron walked around the wheelchair and crouched in front of Spencer. "So?"

"I've not lived with anyone other than mom. In the college dorms, I was roomed alone until I was eighteen, and then I could live off campus so I did or I had a single dorm. I can't help with anything, and even if I could, there is no way you two would actually let me. I don't want to wear out my welcome."

"Anyone who invites someone who is sick to stay with them to help them and then makes them think that they have worn out their welcome is a piece of shit," Jake said.

"Tell us how you really feel," Aaron said with a smile on his lips. Aaron leaned into Spencer's personal space, bumping their foreheads together. "This is more for me than you, you know."

"How?" Spencer asked.

"Because if you were not here with me, I would worry the entire time. It's why I've only left here to work, and even then I called Doctor Kimura every day at lunch. All I see when I close my eyes, and I'm not around you is you on that bed after they gave you the antidote and waiting to see if you woke up or you died. It was the worst hours of my life. I was afraid of breaking down, but when your vitals started to get better, I left and left Morgan with you. I did have work that I needed to do, but it could have waited. It makes me a coward."

"Human," Spencer interrupted. "And worried about your career a little bit because we both know that Morgan was never going to leave that room until I woke up. I wasn't upset when I woke up, and you weren't there. Your job is as important as we are. I would hate it if you chose me over the job."

Jake huffed, and Spencer turned to look at him.

"I told him that he would never find someone who would put the job first as well, and then he finds you. Thank, Spencer for making me a fool." Jake was smiling as he said the words, and Spencer didn't laugh as Aaron did. Laughing still caused issues.

"So what are you looking forward to?" Aaron asked.

"Stretching out on a bed maybe naked because I don't think I've ever had clothes on for this long before."

"Sleep naked a lot do you?" Jake sounded really pleased with something.

"When it's warm out? Yes. I like the feel of sheets on my skin."

"How about we discuss something other than nakedness and things rubbing on skin?" Aaron asked.

Jake laughed, and Spencer couldn't help the one that escaped him. He laughed until he started to cough. Aaron raised out of his crouch enough to help hold him while he coughed. This, this part Spencer was looking forward to.


	7. Chapter 6

# Chapter 6

## Early June 2009

Aaron smiled as he watched as Spencer slept. Aaron had no clue what position that Spencer slept in usually. He wasn't sure if this was it or it was how he slept on cases, and this was just something new or different because of the anthrax complications. Spencer was asleep partially on his side and kind of on his stomach. It was interesting to see him sleep like that and made Aaron ache a little with the want to sleep just behind him. Aaron could slot himself just in behind him, curled around his back, arm wrapped about Spencer's stomach.

Spencer had been calling Morgan, JJ, and Garcia each day and those three talked and updated Prentiss while Aaron took care of Dave. Spencer was finally getting to where he could stay awake throughout most of the day and get from the bed to the bathroom without needing help or near passing out afterwards.

It had taken a week for Spencer to get to where he could ask for things instead of waiting for Aaron or Jake to offer. Aaron knew that part of that was the fact that Spencer had never had anyone but his mom to take care of him. Spencer had also seen what trying to care for his mother had done to his father and that was why his father had left. It was hard to see that and understand why Spencer did what he did but also know that there was no way to help other than to help him time and again. It was still nice to hear Spencer ask for things that he wanted. It was just nice to be around him day in and day out.

Jake had stepped back a little at H&D, refusing to allow Spencer to be alone in the house for the first few weeks. So while Aaron was at work, Jake was home and when Aaron was on his way home, Jake would leave to go into work. The crew at H&D were glad that Jake was taking a break, even if none of them knew the exact reason why. Aaron sometimes would stop and pick up dinner for him and Spencer if Jake hadn't cooked, which wasn't that often but sometimes the two of them got lost talking or watching movies. Jake was expanding Spencer's pop culture knowledge by a great deal.

"You know that it's kind of creepy to watch someone sleep." Jake wrapped his arm around Aaron's waist and popped his head on his shoulder so that he could see Spencer as well.

"I'm just marveling at his healing is all. His chest doesn't stutter with his breaths anymore, and he doesn't wake up coughing nearly as much."

"You are watching him very closely." Jake squeezed his arm for a few seconds and then let go of Aaron altogether. Aaron felt a kiss being pressed to his shoulder.

"I am because I worry. I wasn't there as much as I should have been after Hankle had him and I think this is my way of making up for it."

"Well, I have breakfast started, and the meat is marinating for lunch. When do you want to start the grill?"

"I'll do it whenever Morgan shows up. He's been chomping at the bit to get here and check on Spencer in person. I won't be able to keep him from getting here early. So I figure that he'll be the arrival of the start of doom."

"You sound so worried. JJ knows, Dave probably knows. Spencer is an adult and can choose his relationships. There is not a single person who has ever met you who would say that you were forcing someone into a relationship. You are too good and too noble to every push anyone, even someone under you into a relationship. Morgan won't be able to push Spencer either. Whether you see it or not, you've pushed Spencer to be a good person who won't bend in his wants. You've shown him throughout the years that to get what you want you have to fight to keep it. Even if you didn't mean to do that, it's what happened. He's a good agent and a good person."

"You make it sound like I groomed him," Aaron said, and he turned around to face Jake. The look on Jake's face was upset at Aaron's words.

"Not for a sexual relationship, you did not groom him. You set yourself as a friend, and it slowly grew to more. Between you and Morgan, he learned how to be a man. Gideon didn't teach him that and while Rossi's newer to the team he had a small hand in it but it was mainly you and Morgan. His father has little claim to the man that Spencer is, outside of showing him what not to do. Spencer saw the difference between you and Morgan, and instead of trying to mold himself into one of you, he chose to expand on who he was. He made the decision, but he used your support to do it. I've talked to him a lot over the past few weeks, Morgan tried to keep him in the mold that he made for fresh out of the Academy little fawn Reid as Spencer put it, but you never kept him in that box. Yes, you helped him, but you did it by boosting him up instead of pulling him up."

"So you two haven't just been talking about food these last few weeks have you?" Aaron asked with a smile on his lips.

Before Jake could answer, Spencer coughed, and the sound of him moving on the bed had Aaron turning to look at him. Spencer wasn't awake yet, but he was near it. Aaron looked back at Jake, and Jake waved for Aaron to go into the room. Jake would be in the kitchen most of the morning and has chased Aaron out already. Jake loved to cook, so that was the one plus on all of this. Aaron remembered the third or fourth day that Spencer had been with them, he couldn't remember exactly which day it was. Spencer had tried to tell him that he would be fine with frozen meals that he could heat up in the microwave. Jake had been speechless, but Aaron had stopped him from finding that speech and unloading on Spencer. Aaron had been the one to explain that Jake didn't do those kinds of meals and that in their household meals were cooked fresh. Jake did do casseroles that could be frozen and heated later, and that was the extent of freezer meals. Jake had realized what Spencer had been trying to do and laughed off Spencer's concern. Food had not been brought up again, other than Jake narrowing down the things that Spencer did and didn't like to eat.

Spencer was not picky, and he would eat anything that you set in front of him, but Aaron had learned that he ate some things faster or with more gusto when Spencer could actually get up enough energy to give gusto to anything. It was interesting learning about him in ways that he hadn't gotten to know him. On cases, Spencer usually picked what he wanted to eat or would give a list of three things he wanted if the menu of a place was unknown. The team opted for diners and bistros over the standard fast food. None of them were health nuts or anything like that, but they needed well-balanced foods to help them. There were times that fast food was the best option if they were grabbing food before getting onto the jet to leave but that was different as they were heading home.

Aaron shut the bedroom door as he entered but made sure that it didn't wake up Spencer more. Spencer shivered once, and Aaron strode over to cover up his shoulder with the blanket. Aaron brushed the hair that had fallen into Spencer's face up and behind his ear. Spencer hadn't wanted to go and get his haircut yet. He didn't want to leave the house really except for his visits to Doctor Kimura. Which with how much those visits wiped him out, Aaron could understand. Spencer's hair was almost long enough to braid. Aaron didn't mind the hair, but he liked it when he had it slightly shorter, but Aaron would be happy with anything that Spencer chose. Aaron would probably not change his hair if Spencer didn't like it. Aaron liked his hair, and he liked it exactly the way that it was.

"Aaron," Spencer said, and it was breathless in a way that spoke of the fact that Spencer was not awake and was very much in a dream.

"I'm here," Aaron said. Aaron threaded his fingers through Spencer's hair scratching slightly in the way that Aaron had found that Spencer liked. Spencer was very much like a cat. It was adorable to see him on the couch when Aaron could touch him. There had not been much beyond a few kisses here and there. Spencer was very much still not well at all. The one time just a few days ago that they had tried to make out on the couch, Spencer had got winded and had to stop to use the inhaler that Doctor Kimura had given him. Aaron knew that the inhaler was going to be part of Spencer's life until his lungs were back to as close to normal as they could get. Though it might be the rest of his life if his lungs did not heal.

Spencer moved on the bed, rolling onto his back. Aaron pulled his hand free of his hair so he didn't tangle it up any and when Spencer was on his back fully, Aaron laid that hand on Spencer's stomach. There were two layers of blankets and Spencer's shirt between them, but Spencer parted his lips in a sigh at the simple touch. Aaron looked forward to the day that they stopped dancing around the act that they had started before the kidnapping case. Aaron had not thought that it would take them that long to get to this stage but Aaron was not going to push it right now. Spencer's health was more important than anything else in the world.

Aaron was staring at Spencer's face when his eyes opened. Spencer blinked a few times, his eyes trying to focus on Aaron's face. Aaron looked for Spencer's glasses. He had been wearing them non-stop since he had come to Aaron and Jake's house. Aaron liked him in his glasses and wondered if he could do to get him to wear them more often.

"Morning," Spencer said. His voice sounded rough with disuse but not as rough as it had been sounding over the past few weeks.

"Good morning." Aaron leaned over and kissed Spencer's forehead. Spencer made a very unhappy noise at that, so Aaron pressed a kiss to the area of skin between his eyebrows. Spencer made the noise again, so Aaron kissed him on the bridge of his nose. Spencer's hands shot out to grab Aaron, but Aaron waylaid them by getting a hold of them and pressing them to Spencer's chest. Aaron kissed the tip of his nose before finally kissing his lips. Spencer made a pleased humming noise as Aaron didn't pull away after a few seconds.

"That's a way to make it a good morning," Spencer said as Aaron finally pulled out of the kiss. Aaron laughed.

"Ready for your shower?"

"No," Spencer said, and he started to shove the bedding off of his body. Aaron frowned but helped him do it. Aaron found the stubborn bit of sheet that was stuck with static to Spencer's sleep clothes, and as he did, he found the reason why Spencer wasn't ready for his shower. Aaron laid his hand on Spencer's leg, and Spencer dropped the other leg open more. It stretched the pants over Spencer's erection. As far as Aaron knew it was the first one that he woke up with. That was a good sign for his healing body.

"Do you want help with that?" Aaron asked.

Spencer bit as his lip and nodded his head.

"One condition," Aaron said.

"What?"

"You just lay there. I don't want you to try and help. You can touch me, but if your back leaves the bed, I'm stopping."

"Okay," Spencer said. He nodded his head as a further agreement. Spencer reached down to push his pants down, and Aaron took over that, nudging his hips up to get his pants down to his thighs. Spencer pulled his shirt up to where he could sit up enough to pull it off as well. Aaron opened the side drawer in the table. There was a bottle of lube in there. Hell, given his and Jake's proclivity to fuck anywhere they were in the house, there was typically lube in random spots in each room. This bottle though was new. Aaron pulled the wrapper off and uncapped it. He poured some into his hand before dropping it down at Spencer's side. Aaron surveyed Spencer's body to decide what he wanted to do. He looked at Spencer's face and decided that he wanted to kiss him. Aaron straddled Spencer's waist, stroking his cock once to spread the lube around before he leaned down to take Spencer's mouth into a kiss, swallowing the gasp that Spencer made with the touch of Aaron's hand on his cock. Spencer reached down to wrap his hand around Aaron's on his cock and squeezed just a little harder. Aaron kept up that pressure as he stroked.

Aaron was glad that Spencer wasn't too shy to show Aaron what he liked. It was always best when both of them did what felt good and didn't try and hide to make the other person feel better. Aaron had been with Haley some but mainly with Jake. Aaron had learned how to be a good lover from him.

"Harder?" Aaron asked as the lube coated Spencer's entire cock, there was no part of Aaron's hand that dragged on the skin of Spencer's cock. Aaron kept on kissing Spencer until Spencer shuddered. He was close already. Aaron was glad of that because he didn't want to overtax Spencer.

"No, it's fucking perfect." Spencer's hip undulated just a little, so Aaron pressed down with his to hold Spencer in place. Spencer's eyes were shut tight, but Aaron didn't care about that. He just stared down at Spencer as his orgasm was chased. Aaron braced his free arm on the bed and just stared down at Spencer. There was no way to mistake that he was in the throes of passion. Aaron squeezed just a little harder as he got to the head, twisting his hand and Spencer cried out, coming in Aaron's hand. Aaron lunged forward, kissing Spencer again, taking those gasps and groans into his mouth. Spencer kissed him back when he had control of his muscles again. Spencer's hands grabbed Aaron's side before one started to work toward his cock, trapped in his jeans. Aaron hadn't been paying attention to himself until he felt the hand cover his jean covered cock.

It was Aaron's turn to gasp, and Spencer moaned as he did. Aaron wondered what that was about until he felt fingers tracing his cock. Or at least the outline of it in his jeans. Spencer didn't make a move to open his jeans and Aaron was pretty thankful on that because if Spencer touched him, skin to skin Aaron was going to come and this felt good. Spencer's hand was hesitant as he fondled the cock. Spencer was learning him, slowly. It was heaven, it was hell, and it was wonderful. Spencer turned his hand to where he rubbed up Aaron's cock with the heel of his palm and Aaron came. He swore though as Spencer's hand turned again, he felt skin on skin. It was like Spencer had reached into Aaron's pants and touched him, but his jeans were still very much closed.

"Fuck," Aaron whispered into Spencer's mouth. Aaron had gone without underwear so he would have to change his jeans before going down to help Jake with breakfast before going back up and getting Spencer and helping him down. Aaron hoped that Spencer was good with staying down on the ground floor. There was a half bath that had anything Spencer would need, including all of his medications doled out in a tray for the day. Morning and evening were in Spencer's bathroom attached to his room while the rest were down on the ground floor. If he decided to stay in his room, Jake or Aaron would get the meds when he needed them.

"Sticky," Spencer said, and he wiggled his hips as if that could get rid of what had got on him. Aaron grinned pressing that smile into Spencer's neck before he wiped his hand on Spencer's stomach. "HEY!" Spencer yelled.

Aaron tried to sit up, but Spencer's hands were quick, grabbing him and pulling him down, smearing the mess on Spencer's skin between them. Now Aaron was going to have to change all of his clothes. That was going to be noticed by Jake. Aaron kissed Spencer in retaliation. Aaron kept on kissing him until Spencer's stomach growled. Spencer started to laugh.

"Looks like someone is demanding food."

"Then I think it's time to get you into the shower and for me to go and change." Aaron sat up and got off the bed, frowning at the state of his clothes, Spencer just looked smug as he looked at Aaron. Spencer kicked his pants off before he moved to get off the bed. He was stable on his feet, but still, Aaron followed him to the bathroom, taking in the sight of his ass as he moved. Aaron's eyes darted up to the tattoo had he had yet to ask about that took up the majority of Spencer's back. It was a phoenix, Aaron knew that but it looked unfinished. At least the wings looked unfinished. The bird's head and body were beautiful. The feathers were very detailed but just rough outlines. There were a few that were filled in with various colors but there was no pattern to the colors. It was like someone had tossed out colors and grabbed at random. One day, Spencer would offer or Aaron would ask but there was no need to do that at the moment.

Spencer turned on the water in the shower before he walked to the sink to take his pills. There was a bottle of water there because he had to take one with at least eight ounces of water. Aaron watched him in the mirror as he tossed back the pills and chased them. When he was done with the pills, he chugged the rest of the water. Spencer looked up at Aaron in the mirror as the water started to steam up the room.

"I think I have it from here," Spencer said with a soft smile on his lips.

"Well, I just like watching you." Aaron stepped up and placed a kiss on Spencer's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around Spencer's upper chest. "I think I could become addicted to sex with you."

Spencer started to blush, and Aaron nipped at the side of his neck. He squeezed for a few seconds before disengaging. He needed to change, and Spencer needed to get into the shower before he caught a chill. Spencer scooted from between Aaron and the counter before walking to the shower. He looked back at Aaron once before slipping inside and shutting the door. Aaron left the bathroom door open so that it didn't steam up too much in there. The heavy humidity would set Spencer off coughing, so it was best to leave it open.

Ten minutes later, after changing and washing himself off a little bit in the sink with cold water, so he didn't take Spencer's hot, Aaron was entering the kitchen. Jake was reading something on his phone. He looked up at Aaron and back down before his head popped up again.

"That's not what you were wearing before." Jake's eyes narrowed, and he looked at Aaron's face. "Oh, and there is the reason why. That's a lovely little post-coital flush on your face. Well, that's why it took so long for you to come down after waking Spencer up. I hope you didn't wear the poor boy out."

"He did nothing but lay there, thank you very much, Jake."

"I'm glad he's feeling good enough for that." There was no censure in Jake's eyes as he said the words. They both knew how much of a mother hen Aaron was. Spencer hadn't had a single bit of breathing problems during it. If he had, no matter how much he begged, Aaron would have stopped.

"I'd say I am too, but that would sound very self-serving. I'm just glad he's getting better. I know that he is getting better every single day but seeing a jump like that, it's nice." Aaron looked around to see that Jake was just waiting for the biscuits to be done. He saw nothing else that told him what was for breakfast because it was all covered up to keep the heat in. Aaron almost walked over to lift the lid on the pot on the stove, but he didn't. Not when Jake glared at him like he could read his mind. Aaron raised his hands and walked to the fridge instead. Aaron grabbed the orange juice glass from there for himself and the milk for Spencer. After Spencer had drunk a glass of milk and ate half of his breakfast, he could get a cup of coffee.

"I wonder if the pout will win today?" Jake said.

"No," Aaron answered back. Every day Spencer pouted to have coffee before he ate, but so far he had not won.

Aaron filled glasses with milk and juice before turning the coffee pot on so that it would start to brew. It was a little mean, but the smell of coffee got Spencer to eat a little bit quicker. The sound of the water shutting off upstairs had Aaron setting the drinks on the table. He nodded at Jake before going up to help Spencer. He waited at the top of the steps for Spencer, but he didn't emerge from his bedroom. Aaron frowned and walked into there. He found Spencer sitting on the bed, inhaling with the inhaler between his lips. Aaron looked at the time. It was time for the one inhaler. The shower had taken a little longer than Aaron thought it would. Frequently, Spencer did his daily inhaler dose in the middle of breakfast and chased it with coffee to get rid of the taste. Though Spencer always gargled after taking it as well, to help with not getting thrush. Aaron had never heard of that, but after talking to Jake, he had a worker at the restaurant that did it as well.

Spencer gave Aaron a weak smile before he filled his mouth with water and gargled it. He had a basin ready to catch it when he spit it out. Aaron stepped closer to take the basin away and dump it. Usually, Spencer did it over the sink in the kitchen with Aaron or Jake behind him to catch him as the inhaling and then holding his breath for ten seconds had him seeing spots with the way that his lungs were at the moment. That was why he was sitting on the bed.

"You should have yelled."

Spencer spit out the water and shook his head at Aaron before handing over the basin. He drank the rest of the water before answering.

"I was a little dizzy and having trouble breathing. It was just a little too close to shower time with the humidity. I was afraid if I yelled I'd set off a coughing attack."

"Well, that's understandable. I just worry."

"I know that you do," Spencer stood up and set the cup on the bedside table before he walked to where Aaron was setting the basin down just inside the bathroom door before stepping out. Spencer brushed his fingers over Aaron's cheek before giving him a peck on the lips. When Spencer pulled back, Aaron wrapped his arms around him for a hug. Spencer returned it with strong arms around his chest.

"Breakfast!" Jake yelled and then a few seconds later, Aaron heard the beep of the oven alarm to signal that the biscuits were done. Aaron held out his arm and Spencer linked his with it, and they started down to the ground floor. Spencer paused when they entered the kitchen, and Aaron looked to see why. On the table was a plate of biscuits and gravy. Aaron and Jake had at their spots plates that just had two biscuits each on them, but Spencer's was already covered. Spencer looked at the food with a questioning look on his face. Aaron walked him over to the table and waited for him to sit. As Spencer did he pressed a kiss to Aaron's cheek as he always did when Aaron helped him anywhere. Jake had made a comment about it once, and when he had escorted Spencer somewhere next, Spencer had done the same to him but ended it with a lick. Jake hadn't asked for once since.

"Coffee?" Spencer asked, turning his face up to where he was looking Aaron in the eye. He was pouting, and Aaron felt his resolve break. Coffee was the treat for eating and taking his inhaler, also used as a way to make his food not taste as much like the inhaler. Even with gargling and the drink of water after, there was no way that the food wouldn't taste like the inhaler. Aaron sighed and leaned over to press a kiss to Spencer's forehead.

"Just this once and only because you've already taken your inhaler and I don't want you to not like breakfast because of that taste."

"What is this?" Spencer asked as he poked at the gravy.

Aaron held in the laughter, but Jake didn't. Jake made up for it though by setting down three mugs of coffee. Aaron could tell his as it was black and in his mug. Jake's was in his mug as well and black. Spencer's had just a little bit of cream in it, and a little sugar as Aaron had used the last of Spencer's good creamer the afternoon before and Spencer's treat cup of coffee. Spencer picked up his cup and took a sip of the coffee before he moaned in happiness. Aaron shot him a look and then Jake one when the man snickered.

"Jake went to the store and got my creamer," Spencer said.

Aaron laughed.

"That's biscuits and sausage gravy," Aaron said as he grabbed the ladle from the pan of gravy in the middle of the table and poured it over his biscuits.

"So...white gravy with sausage in it?" Spencer asked.

"Yes, white peppered gravy. So please take a bite before you add more pepper." Jake pulled the pepper back from the middle of the table. The fights between the two of them had made Aaron's mornings a little brighter, even if he did have to leave to go to work, leaving Spencer behind. Jake always frowned when Spencer added pepper to his breakfast potatoes before even tasting them. Even after Spencer added that pepper, he would taste them and then add more. The salt Spencer never touched. Aaron did not find that odd. Spencer didn't like salty food. Even french fries. Some he could handle but not a lot. Aaron had seen him bite into a french fry and set it back down if one had too much salt on it.

Spencer lifted one of the biscuits and frowned as the gravy started to run under it. Aaron took pity on him and started to eat his, cutting a chunk off of the first biscuit and then cutting it in half. He speared it and lifted the first chunk to his mouth to eat. Spencer watched and before he did as Aaron did he tasted the gravy on its own. Spencer did not reach for the pepper which made Jake smirk.

Breakfast was silent outside of the sound of clinking of forks on plates and mugs on the table. Spencer reached across the table and grabbed two more biscuits, Aaron eyed him as he started to break up the biscuits into chunks, eating a few bites as he did. When the two biscuits were all broke into bite-sized pieces, he reached across the table and pulled the gravy close to him. He pulled out the ladle, waiting for a few seconds for it to stop dripping and watching his own hand before he dumped it onto his biscuits. He did two more ladles, and his hand didn't shake at all. Sometimes after his inhaler, he had a lot of shaking, the adrenalin rush of the meds in his system Spencer had said.

It was one of the first times that Spencer had got seconds without Jake talking him into it. Aaron was glad that his appetite was coming back.

"Must be hungry," Jake said, and he waited for Spencer to nod, chewing and swallowing the food in there before he spoke again. "From the workout this morning?"

Spencer snorted, his cup halfway to his face. He looked at Jake with a grin on his face. "Not much of a workout, really it was lying there and letting Aaron do all of the work."

"He's good at that. He likes being in charge."

Aaron shook his head at the two of them.

"What's the plans after breakfast?"

"Well, I picked up the books that were delivered to your apartment when I went shopping this morning for food for lunch and your creamer. So you have those to read or maybe even try and talk Aaron into letting you go outside to do it." Jake winked at Spencer as he said it and Aaron wasn't sure what that wink was about, but as long as Aaron was with him, he didn't mind Spencer going outside. Sometimes the pollen made Spencer's coughing act up so he would start and not stop. Aaron didn't like him being outside alone. Though it didn't seem that windy outside at the moment.

"I'm going to be outside with the team this afternoon, so I don't want to push it." Spencer ate about half of what was on his plate before he got up to walk to the coffee pot. Doctor Kimura had just released him on caffeine intake, and he was ramping back up to making coffee the highest concentrated thing in his bloodstream. Aaron ate his breakfast, but he watched Spencer's hands as he made his coffee. Spencer's hands were always the best way to tell how he was doing. Spencer knew his limits when it came to most things but his dropping things were getting bad again, and it was usually late at night but sometimes throughout the day as well.

Breakfast dishes were easy to do as nothing was that badly messed up. The gravy pan was easy to clean as was the biscuit sheet. Since Jake cooked, Aaron did the dishes with Spencer sitting on a chair at that end of the table, and they talked. Well, Spencer talked about the book he had read the night before. Aaron liked to listen to him talk about books. It was also an excellent way to exercise his lungs. That was one thing that Doctor Kimura was happy about, Spencer liked to talk so exercising that way was easy for him.

Jake spent the morning in the kitchen after Aaron got dishes done. Spencer watched some TV and just lazed about while Aaron bounced between talking with him and helping Jake. The grill outside was new a present from Jake to Aaron. While Jake was good at grilling, he liked stove cooking better, but Aaron liked grilling outside. That didn't mean that Jake wasn't a hovering mess when Aaron was cooking. Aaron just hoped that the team being there and Jake being a good host would keep him occupied so that he didn't badger Aaron.

Morgan was the first to arrive as Aaron predicted with the rest of the team coming to the house en mass before the introduction to Jake was entirely over.

"Come in, come in," Jake said as he threw open the door as Dave reached up to knock on it. Dave looked very startled. JJ flew past Dave before he could step inside. She had eyes for only one person, and that was Spencer. JJ crashed into Spencer, and it was only Morgan and Aaron quickly grabbing them that stopped the two from crashing to the ground. Prentiss was next, and she practically forced JJ away from Spencer before hugging him. Dave kissed each of Spencer's cheeks but didn't do more than that. Garcia tucked herself into Spencer's side and pressed a kiss to his cheek, brushing at the little bit of lipstick that was left. Jake grinned throughout the whole of it. Aaron though was watching as Prentiss, Garcia, Dave, and Morgan looked at Jake and back to Aaron several times.

"I know you," JJ said as she looked at Jake.

"Jake Durham as your service Miss JJ Jareau," Jake said as he did a little bow from the waist. He was standing up again he held out his hand to Dave. "Mister Rossi, Miss Prentiss, and Miss Garcia."

"That doesn't tell me where I know you from," JJ said.

"No, Ma'am it does not. MIss Garcia knows me as the one that she accidentally sent Spencer's dying words to."

"OH!" Garcia looked like she might just pee her pants. "You work at H&D!"

"No, I own H&D with Aaron. I mean the actual name of the partnership that we have is Hotchner and Durham. It was fitting to name the restaurant after that."

"I thought that Reid was dating Hotch?" Morgan asked.

"He is," JJ said, but she seemed really confused as well.

"We have separate bedrooms," Jake said.

"I don't understand," Garcia said.

"Aaron and I have lived together for a long time. As friends and nothing more. We have different bedrooms. I'm not interested in a relationship with anyone. Aaron though graciously moved in with me when I realized that I didn't want to live alone."

"Why don't we go and sit down in the backyard and then we can give out the sordid past of Aaron and his housemate?" Spencer asked. He looked a little worn out, so Aaron held out his elbow. Spencer gladly slipped his arm into it, cuddling into Aaron's side. He laughed and pressed a kiss into Aaron's cheek before tugging on Aaron to pull him along. Jake took up the end of the train of people out into the backyard. Jake liked to have meals with his staff from H&D from time to time, usually on a day off, so there were chairs aplenty. Aaron escorted Spencer over to the padded lounge chair, and Spencer sat down on it and scooted back to get comfortable. Jake brought over his coffee from the kitchen. "Thanks."

"Welcome."

Aaron walked over the grill to get the flames turned on. It was a half, and half grill with one side gas and the other could be used for coals. Aaron loved it as there was a smoker on the side, which was the only part that Jake used. There was a big smoker at the restaurant but when Jake was doing something small at home, he liked to use the grill. Aaron had cleaned the grill well the night before, but he checked it over before lighting it. Morgan stepped over, and Aaron saw that he already had a beer in hand. The team was off rotation for the weekend, so Morgan drinking wasn't going to be an issue. The team was not on call, so drinking was allowed.

"How is he doing?" Morgan asked.

"Getting better every single day. If he stays like this, Doctor Kimura thinks that he can come back to work somewhere between the middle and end of July, he would not be allowed in the field."

"Good. I know that I can be an ass, but I'm glad that he at least has you."

"How did you know about us?"

"Nurses talk man, especially when you sleep with him all the time. I also walked in on you in bed with him once. He was asleep with his head on your chest, and I just left because even if it wasn't anything romantic, you two have just always clicked. He's always got you, and sometimes you are the only one to ever get him. That it turned into something more isn't a shock. That doesn't mean that I won't kick your ass for hurting him, but I would also kick his ass for hurting you. Seeing Jake just kind of shocked me. I mean he was touching you when I arrived, something that old married couples do. But he also touched Reid like that, and it was confusing as hell."

"We are not a triad. Jake doesn't have a single romantic feeling for me and nothing for Spencer beyond some affection that is something between what you and JJ feel for Spencer. He's been a great help, with having a good crew at the restaurant that he trusts, he's been staying with Spencer when I can't be here. Jake's also personally taken over his nutrition."

"You know that Reid, despite being a beanpole he packs away some food sometimes. I see him eat and eat, and unlike most of us, he goes for good food. Yet he doesn't pack on a pound."

"Yes, well he's put on a little bit of weight, but that's because he's got a high-calorie diet at the moment and no real way to work it off. We are upping his movement each day, but it goes by what his body can handle more than a standard guide. Anthrax affects everyone very differently, so there are just guidelines on it all. Doctor Kimura has given me a list of things to look for in him every single day, and I check that. I read it near damned nightly. I also put a baby monitor in his room. There is a floor between us. My room is on the third floor while the second is where his bedroom is."

"How's he doing with the inhaler? I know when I got some smoke damage in my lungs once that part sucked."

"Good. He gargles every single time and pouts until he gets coffee to get rid of the taste. Though he has been a little more jittery after it as well."

"That's good. That means that it's doing it job."

"Morgan, come and help, I surrounded!" Spencer yelled.

Aaron turned around to see that Spencer was surrounded by JJ, Garcia, and Prentiss. He looked like a lost lamb, and all Dave was doing was laughing his ass off. Jake was not in the backyard and where he was at was answered when he came out the back door with a tray of drinks. Aaron laughed, but Spencer was pouting as he saw them.

"Aaron asked Doctor Kimura about it, and as long as you don't take any pain medication for a day, you can drink. Since you haven't for a week, I think you are safe." Jake handed over a very purple looking drink to Spencer before he passed the others around. "Aaron's told me enough of your bar and clubbing nights that I think I have it down. Also, we have enough guest rooms and or beds to allow for all of you to stay over if you so wish." Jake winked at Aaron as he handed him a tumbler full of scotch.

"And what's that wink for?" Aaron asked.

"Because the only way that everyone is staying over is if Spencer gives up his bed. So that means he's with me or you when he goes to sleep tonight."

"It sure as hell isn't going to be you," Aaron said.

Aaron could feel the eyes of everyone on him as he said that but he didn't care. This was his time to be himself and to let the team see him as human. It was worth that.

"Well then, I guess I see where I stand in your life." Jake made a dismissive noise and stayed back inside.

"Drama queen!" Aaron yelled. The air conditioner was off, so the screen door was being used.

"Fuck you Hotchner!" Jake yelled back.

"Not right now!" Aaron laughed as Jake and Spencer started to laugh. He looked at the team and especially Morgan.

"What the hell is in this drink?" Morgan asked. There was a little bit of it gone. "I think he laced it cause either Hotch became a pod person or I am hallucinating."

"Aww my Chocolate God, you are not hallucinating," Garcia said as she walked over to him. "I always figured that the tough exterior that we saw was not all that our fearless leader was. This just proves it."

"You don't know the half of it," Spencer said.

"Don't you dare," Aaron said. He took two steps toward Spencer, but Spencer just laughed and tucked his feet into his chest.

"You wouldn't believe the things that I have heard from his mouth or seen him do."

"Okay, no sex talk!" Morgan said, and he set down his drink to cover his ears, but he was smiling.

Aaron sat on the edge of Spencer's lounger and pulled him closer, kissing him.

"None of that either!" Morgan said, and he tried to cover his ears as well as his eyes. Aaron heard the laughter fill the backyard and he was glad that at least the team was laughing again. The haunted looked was gone from their eyes from how close it had come to possibly losing Spencer. It was good that they had this day while Spencer was still getting better and nothing from work could taint their day.


	8. Chapter 7

# Chapter 7

## Late June 2009

Spencer rechecked his pockets as he looked in the mirror in the bathroom. He could feel his inhaler in there, and it was the main thing that he was worried about. He wasn't entirely used to carrying it around so he obsessed about checking for it. He would not be shocked if Aaron had one on him as well. Spencer looked at himself in the mirror. His face was back to normal. Doctor Kimura was allowing him to run some as long as someone ran with him but it was the only activity that was he was approved for as far as working out was concerned. There was no going and doing random things with Morgan at the Academy at least until she said so. Spencer usually didn't like running, but at least it was something, and Aaron ran with him when he was in town. That was what made it all worth it. He was getting to like running though, he got a lot of thinking done on it.

Especially lately with Doctor Kimura worried about him dropping things. Spencer had done it in a visit with her where they tested his lung capacity, he wasn't able to hold onto the device he was breathing into. She had nearly sent him for more tests because she was afraid that it had to do with the anthrax exposure but Spencer had told it that it had nothing to do with that. Doctor Kimura wanted him to go and see someone about it, and Spencer knew that he should, but he wasn't sure what they could do. There weren't any medications that would allow for someone to not dropping things when there was no cause. Spencer's muscles were not contracting, his fingers weren't moving, it was just as if the item slipped from his hand on its own. Spencer had been watching himself a lot lately as it happened.

Spencer had been watching himself a lot closer on everything since he had been left on his own more and more as Jake cycled back to going into the restaurant for prep before the dinner service and sometimes even lunch crowd. Aaron had not been off work for long at all; following the anthrax case, but given that Spencer was the only one injured, Spencer wasn't shocked. The team had been given a few days to settle and clear their heads, but then it was back to the daily grind. And despite Jake's warnings about not calling and what he was going to do to the team, and especially Aaron, when the team had a question that Garcia could not answer quick enough, they called Spencer. It had helped Spencer during some of the maudlin times of him being stuck in Aaron and Jake's house alone. There wasn't a lot that Spencer could do without wearing himself out over the first weeks or without having trouble breathing.

The talking helped with the lungs, so Spencer had been glad in some cases to have to go over things in detail. Aaron always listened in on the conversations, even if he was not at the station or wherever the person calling was. It had to be Aaron's rule on calling Spencer because when it sounded like Spencer was tired or his lungs were hurting, Spencer was told to text the rest or even email it. After the first case where that happened, Aaron had left his work laptop at home so that he could safely communicate with the team. It had made it easy when Spencer had a lot of information to impart but not the lung capacity or the strength to do so.

After the team dinner a few weeks before, nothing had really changed except for the fact that JJ came around with Henry and Spencer got to spend time with his Godson, including one day where Will got called into work on a case of his while JJ was in Missouri with the team. Jake had got a crash course in babysitting a very active child at that point. Spencer had been unable to chase after the boy who had figured out not only walking but running as well. Jake had fallen asleep on the couch before Henry had, but at least Spencer had been trapped into a single room with the boy, baby gates were wonderful things for young children who were not afraid of anything.

Jake had still been asleep on the couch when Aaron had come home with JJ on his heels. JJ had laughed her ass off at Jake but had collected Henry, and they had gone home. The smell of the Chinese food that Aaron had brought with him for dinner had finally roused Jake from his sleep. Jake had cursed Aaron because he had never wanted kids but Henry was a cute bugger, and he wouldn't mind watching him again just with a better understanding of what not to do with a near-toddler. Aaron had laughed his ass off, nearly choking on the wonton that he had been eating.

"Ready?" Jake asked as he leaned in the doorway of the bathroom. Jake was dressed for work at the restaurant. Jake didn't take much time at all to get ready, especially given that his newest hairstyle was bald. Aaron remarked on missing the ability to tousle Jake's hair to rile him up, but he still touched and rubbed at Jake's head enough to waylay the bitching that he did about it.

Spencer nodded his head and turned to face Jake fully. Spencer was in one of his suits, Aaron had gone to his apartment to get it out as well as a check on it as well as grabbing Spencer's mail. All of Spencer's bills were paid automatically as one never knew if he was going to be on a case or not. Spencer checked to make sure that none were taken out wrong, too much, too little, or on the wrong day. There was never an issue of funds as Spencer made sure there was enough to pay the bills twice over left in his primary checking account. He mostly used a credit card when he was out and about and always paid it off quickly. Spencer doubled rechecked his pocket before he started to walk out. Aaron was going to meet Spencer at the restaurant that was Aaron's choice for dinner. While H&D was an excellent choice, Aaron wanted to go out somewhere that would have fewer people staring at them because no matter what the staff there couldn't not stare.

"Got your wallet and such?" Jake asked.

"Yes." Spencer hadn't needed it for a while, so his wallet, credentials, and other things had been living in his messenger bag that was hanging on the closet door in his bedroom. Spencer patted himself down one more time just to make sure. The inhaler was in his shirt pocket, the wallet was in his left back pocket, and his credentials were in his jacket pocket. The only reason that Spencer had his wallet with him was to be safe if something happened. His credentials should be enough, but he was a worrier enough that he carried both with him at all times.

"Good then let's go. The restaurant is three blocks from mine, so do you want to walk that or have me drop you off?"

"Walk. I think I'll like walking."

"Good. I was hoping you would say that. Not that I don't want to drop you off, but I think getting out alone is going to be good for you. You have an hour before the reservation time, and Aaron is just now leaving Quantico so take your time and look at some shops."

"Yes, mother," Spencer said.

Jake just laughed and started out of Spencer's bedroom. Spencer followed behind him, looking at the place he called home. When it was time for him to go back to work, he was released to live alone again, and Spencer wasn't sure that he could do it. He was enjoying not living alone.

Spencer pushed the thoughts from his head as that was in the future and right now was right now and he needed to stay in that moment to enjoy the night.

The drive to the restaurant was done in silence on Spencer's part but not Jake's. Jake was on the phone, handsfree and using a device that was clipped to his dashboard. Jake was talking to his kitchen staff as there was a mix up on what the special of the night was because it seemed that the meat station had been given the wrong menu, so they were scrambling to get food ready. Spencer let his words wash over him as Jake drove. He had a travel mug of coffee with a little of Jake's mocha sauce in it. It wasn't helping his nerves at all. Spencer was more nervous about this date, and he had no clue why when the first had been a breeze and the others that had followed.

Spencer wasn't sure if his nerves were from being out and about for more than a doctor visit or a trip to his bookstore for the first time since he had been infected with anthrax or if he was worried about something else and hadn't figured it out yet. Spencer shook his head to clear it as they pulled into the staff parking lot behind the restaurant. There was the staff only entrance back there as well. The parking lot was lit up like it was daylight and Spencer knew that there were cameras everywhere. Jake and Aaron did everything that they could to protect their staff, even in the middle of the night sometimes when they left work. Spencer unbuckled his belt only after Jake had shut off the car and unhooked his phone from the handsfree device. He pressed it to his ear but not before leaning over and kissing Spencer's cheek.

The kiss on the cheek was Jake's standard form of greeting and goodbye for Aaron and now Spencer. It was a little strange to get used, but Spencer had. Spencer drained the travel mug and set it into the cup holder before he got out of the car and shut the door. Jake locked it from a short distance away, but Spencer looked at the locks to make sure that it was actually locked. Too many cases had left Spencer paranoid about a few things. Spencer had the name of the restaurant and the location of it in his head. He had looked up the address, and the map he had of DC was etched forever in his mind. He walked along the building on the side where there was a sidewalk and came out on a slightly busy street. It was summer in DC, so there were more people walking to and from places than taking cabs or driving themselves. This area of town had parking lots that could be used by anyone, and they could park and walk to anywhere they wanted. It helped to keep the streets a little clearer for the people who were popping into a store and back out, so time was of more of a factor for them. Others didn't mind parking two blocks away and walking to where they needed, stopping at places along the way.

It was a beautiful night to be out. It was cool for July, cool like a storm was coming. Spencer wondered how he would do with the storm and his lungs. He missed opening his apartment window when a storm was going and getting the smell of rain and wind in his apartment. The back porch on Aaron's house would be good for him to sit on. It was blocked from getting direct rainfall unless rain was traveling horizontally instead of slightly skewed vertical.

Spencer stopped at several shops as he walked, seeing things that he liked and even buying one as a gift for Aaron to be delivered to his apartment the next day. Spencer would keep a hold of that for a special occasion. Maybe the day that he figured out Aaron's mutant abilities. The guessing game had been one of Spencer's long hours of amusement over the past few weeks. Spencer had a book where he had looked up the non-physical change abilities that were known. Spencer had also done some research in the line of Hotchner's that had come from Virginia as well as Aaron's mother's side of the family. There were no true abilities running through either family line. Mutants were actually very, very rare in both lines. So that was no help. The last Hotchner that had come online as a Mutant had been able to grow flowers. There was no reason, even for a man like Aaron Hotchner to hide the fact that he could grow flowers from nothing.

The FBI was one of the best employers in the whole country for Mutants, and they had spent a great deal of time making sure of that. The FBI's policy on not having to disclose abilities to team members unless the powers were a danger was one of the most shocking things. Those in the higher ranks could access that information when needed and give it to those who needed to know but it was rare that it happened. Spencer had actually never heard of it happening.

Aaron was walking a fine line though because there were those who were not going to be happy if Aaron's abilities came out. Morgan was one of them. Morgan was okay with Mutants that were not in his personal life, but the rest, those whose abilities could affect him were considered not friendly. Once Morgan realized that nothing that Spencer did could affect him, he settled down. He handled JJ's emotion reading ability with a strange grace, and that was mainly because JJ kept a tight lock on it and only used it when talking to victims or victims families. Even Prentiss's ability to make weapons from nothing and take down UnSubs Morgan didn't care about too much. It only harmed someone mentally, but usually, it was enough to take down an UnSub if Prentiss was prepared. Her physical weapons were still her best bet on defending herself. They had come across a few UnSubs in her years on the team that were powerful enough in their own abilities that her weapons never phased them.

A splash of color caught Spencer's attention in a shop as he passed it and he found that it was a purple messenger bag with a rainbow-colored strap. It looked handmade as did everything else in the shop. Spencer looked at the time and then where he was. He had enough time to go into the shop. He stopped at the messenger bag and looked at the price. There was just a lady at the counter, and she was alone but looked to be reading, so Spencer kept on looking around. He would rather only bother her once when he was ready for all of his purchases.

There was an area that had a lot of shirts in it. Spencer looked at each one and found one that was a woman's that was in his size and was diagonally striped with shades of purple. He could tell that it was a hand done dye job. It was kind of beautiful, so he hung it over his arm. He was leaving with it and the messenger bag, or at least purchasing them and having them sent to his apartment. He found a light pink shirt that he liked the cut of as well and knew the vest that it would go beautifully with and snagged it. There was a pottery section, and he found a coffee cup that he really liked. It was hand painted and had the words Mine, Keep Off! on it. It was a little bigger than the mug he was using at Aaron's house and would be a good one for him to use there until he went home. Spencer grabbed it and looked at the time. He would need to get going. Spencer walked back to the front to grab the messenger bag off of the hook, and he saw that there were a few different styles with the same colorings. He found the one with the most pockets and picked it.

"Ready?" the lady at the counter asked. Her hands were stained with dyes, so Spencer figured that she was the one that at least dyed the fabrics if not created the items as well.

"Yes. Can I have these delivered to my house?" Spencer asked.

"Sure can. I have a delivery boy who does that three days a week. He does it for spare cash when he's not in school. It won't be until he gets out of school tomorrow. Is that okay? I can do a messenger service, but I make you pay for it."

"No, the afternoon is fine. I'll be home all day tomorrow." Spencer watched her as she rung up the two shirts, the mug, and the messenger bag. She carefully folded each of the shirts and stuffed them into the bag and then wrapped the mug in tissue paper and then put it into a paper bag before putting it in the corner of the messenger bag. She closed the straps on the bag and started to fill out a slip of paper before she handed it over. Spencer put in his name as well as the address of Aaron's house as well as the hours he would be there. He put down noon onward. The phone number was last, and Spencer put his personal cell on there. He couldn't keep track of where Jake left the cordless phones in the house, and the only corded on the ground floor was in the kitchen. A two-piece magnet was used to hold the paper to the messenger bag before it was put into a bin on the back wall. "How does he get around?"

"Bus. A teenager whose mom works the shop next door. He does deliveries for a few of the shops on the block. He's careful and the only time that anything has been destroyed is when someone on a bike hit him as he was getting off the bus. The bicycle rider thought they could get through traffic quicker on the sidewalk. I replaced the cup without charging extra to the customer or making him pay for it. He didn't do it on purpose."

The device in front of Spencer beeped that it was ready for Spencer to swipe his card. He pulled his wallet from his back pocket and swiped it on the reader. He approved the amount. A receipt printed from the register but he waved off his copy.

"Have a good night!" the lady said as Spencer gave her a nod and turned to leave. He was excited to use his mug the day after and if he weren't worried about breaking it and really finding a place to put it while he and Aaron were eating he would have brought it with him.

The restaurant was a few doors down from the shop, and Spencer saw that Aaron was coming around the corner from the parking lot for the restaurant. Aaron looked up from undoing his tie and pocketing to see Spencer walking toward him. The restaurant was more formal, but ties were thankfully not needed. Spencer couldn't handle them at the moment. He still had a few dreams where he stopped breathing.

"You look quite handsome tonight," Aaron said. He held out his hand, and Spencer slipped his hand into it, gasping as Aaron drew him close. Spencer felt his lips covering his lip before Aaron was pulling back. "Too bad I'm hungry, or I would say that we could grab Chinese and eat it cold after I finish with you."

"You are a tease," Spencer said, and he pushed at Aaron's chest. Aaron laughed and released Spencer's hand before turning to open the door for him. Spence entered and waited for Aaron to step up behind him before he made his way to the maître d's podium. "Reservation under Hotchner."

"I'm only a tease if I don't plan on following through," Aaron said as the maître d' looked up their reservation.

Spencer swallowed as his mouth dried out. They had not done more than that morning where Aaron had helped Spencer with his erection, but that was only because of Spencer was wearing himself out with the exercise regimen that he was under and Aaron being away on cases. It seemed that Aaron had decided that tonight was a good night for all of the things that were going through their minds.

If asked later, Spencer would not be able to tell anyone what he ate for dinner. He would not be able to tell anyone what the name of their waiter was or what kind of wine Aaron had chosen for them to drink. He couldn't remember what they talked about on the way home.

Even though the house was empty, Spencer was silent as Aaron kept a hold of his hand and pulled him up the stairs and all the way up to Aaron's bedroom after they had both taken off their shoes after getting inside. A light rain had started just as they pulled into the driveway. Spencer had not been up on the third floor. He found no reason to go into Aaron or Jake's room and usually going up to the second floor was enough to wear him out. There was an open door, and Spencer looked inside of it to see that it was most definitely Jake's room. Spencer looked at Aaron's bedroom door to see that it was shut. Aaron tugged Spencer closer before pressing him into the bedroom door.

"What do you want?" Aaron asked, his lips brushing against Spencer's his breath ghosting over Spencer's face.

Spencer knew that Aaron was asking more than just kissing and touching. Spencer's body ached for everything that Aaron wanted to give. "Everything."

Aaron proceeded to start to give Spencer everything. The door was opened, but Aaron's arm slipped around Spencer's waist kepping him in place. Spencer backed up to where the door could be shut again, and as soon as it was, Spencer was picked up by Aaron was carried to the bed. Instead of just dropping Spencer down onto the bed, Aaron went down with him, covering his body. Spencer grabbed the edges of Aaron's jacket to hold him close. He tugged Aaron down to where Aaron's lips were on his. Spencer felt Aaron's hands start to strip him. Spencer returned the favor as much as he could. He couldn't hold back the groan when naked flesh met naked flesh. Aaron kept Spencer pressed into the bed.

Spencer felt like he was going to fall apart as Aaron worked him up to near orgasm before ever slipping a finger into Spencer. He felt like the world was pulling him apart and it was only Aaron that was holding him together. When Aaron slid his cock into Spencer, Spencer shuddered through an orgasm that felt like it was being pulled from his soul. Aaron held still inside of him as Spencer came down from the orgasm. He grabbed Aaron's head and pulled his lips up from where they had been placing kisses along Spencer's chest. Spencer kept their lips together, tongues tangling as Aaron finally started to move.

Every single place that Aaron touched Spencer it felt like there was electricity on the tips of his fingers, on the palm of his hand when it pressed into his hip to hold him still or move him as Aaron wanted. Aaron dug his knees into the bed, lifting Spencer to where they could stay kissing but the angle of Aaron's thrusts changed. Aaron got deeper inside of Spencer, and his thrusts were harder. Spencer screamed as another orgasm washed over him again. Aaron's hands on his hips became almost like brands on his skin as Aaron groaned out his completion into Spencer's mouth just seconds later.

Aaron kept on kissing him, hands moving on his body again as they both came down. Aaron rolled them over to where Spencer was on top. Spencer felt sweaty and sticky, but he didn't care. He slumped down onto Aaron and laid there. Aaron's hand trailed up and down Spencer's back. That electricity was still there, and Spencer wondered if that just a trick of his brain or it was just the synergy between them. He didn't care either way, but it felt damned good.

There were no words as Aaron helped Spencer up off of the bed. They showered with no words but plenty of touching. It felt like words were going to shatter the peace that was between them. Aaron was the first out of the bathroom. He left Spencer there while Spencer dried his hair to where it would be manageable in the morning. Spencer heard the bed thump as the bedding was changed. He listened as Aaron opened a door before he turned to leave the bathroom. Spencer closed his eyes as he conjured the image of the two of them in the bed. He took a step and opened his eyes again, but he was right there stumbling into the bed.

"Spencer?" Aaron asked as he rushed to Spencer's sie as he almost fell down. Aaron held him up.

"I just moved too quickly and got to the bed sooner than I thought. I'm fine." Spencer turned to Aaron and kissed his lips. Aaron looked really worried, and Spencer pushed that thought down. He laid down as Aaron pulled the new bedding down to allow them to get into bed. Spencer rolled onto his side and Aaron scooted right up to wrap around him.

Spencer laid there listening to Aaron breathing as he slowly fell asleep but Spencer couldn't sleep. He listened to Aaron even long after Aaron had fallen fully asleep. Spencer's mind was wrapped around one single thing. He was losing small bits of time. It wasn't true blackouts because hours were not gone. It was just seconds of time usually. Long enough for him to cross the room. Just like before. He did not remember walking from the bathroom to the bed. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he didn't like it. He shuddered a little about what it could mean for him mentally. Aaron snuffled against his neck, and his arm around Spencer's stomach tightened. Aaron was getting as close as he could, trying to help Spencer.

It didn't help.

Spencer closed his eyes and tried to will himself to sleep. It wasn't working though. Right now it was seconds, but it could be longer in the future, up to days. He was afraid to go to the doctor, even talk to Doctor Kimura about it. Ignorance wasn't bliss not by any stretch of the imagination, but there were times where Spencer could push it away to where he wasn't thinking about it.

The crash of thunder had Spencer jumping slightly, but Aaron didn't react at all. Spencer laid his arm over Aaron's. Aaron was lax like there wasn't a massive storm outside. It was just like every other time a storm happened. Morgan had commented on it once, that Aaron could sleep through anything if a storm were raging. Morgan wasn't even sure that a gun going off would wake Aaron if there were a thunderstorm going on as well. It was strange as hell, but there was something kind of adorable about it.

Spencer rolled over in Aaron's hold, with every flash of lightning outside, it showed Aaron's face. He looked relaxed, despite Spencer's fear. No matter how long Spencer had with Aaron, he was going to enjoy it. Any amount of time with him was worth whatever Spencer had to go through. He loved Aaron, and that was all that mattered. Spencer was just glad that Aaron had not thrown out that disc that Spencer had made when he thought he was dying. It would be a tangible thing that would hopefully help Aaron move on when whatever had its grips on Spencer's body or at least his mind had run its course. Spencer would rather live in ignorance than to live in fear of what was coming. Spencer had seen that with his mother, every day seeing that she was getting worse, knowing that she was getting worse.

The slam of a door just seconds before a clap of thunder had Spencer hoping that it was Jake. The bedroom door was open so Spencer could keep an eye for an intruder of a different kind. He listened as the house creaked a little with the wind from the storm. Minutes later, he heard Jake's footsteps on the stairs. He heard wet clothes falling to the floor just inside the bedroom door. Jake had got soaked it seemed. There was silence for a few minutes and then Jake leaving his bedroom again. The steps creaked, and Jake cursed lowly and then there was nothing again. Spencer tried to listen to Jake as he moved through the house but Spencer could hear nothing with the storm. Until the stairs creaked again and then, Jake was in Aaron's bedroom. Spencer closed his eyes as Jake got closer to the bed.

"Oh. Well, that explains why Spencer is not in his bed," Jake said to himself. He sounded pleased as hell, and then he was silent as he moved away. Spencer opened his eyes a minute later to see that the bedroom door was still open. It had been shut when they had got into the room so Aaron must have opened it when he had been changing the bedding. Spencer didn't care either way, but he could hear the low sounds of Jake getting ready for bed. Spencer settled in to not get any sleep for the night, eyes open and watching Aaron sleep.


	9. Chapter 8

# Chapter 8

## Late July 2009

Aaron was tired. Bone weary and more than willing to sleep in his car. The whole of the team was worn out, and he was upset that it was that way. The case was hell, figuratively hell. Aaron wasn't sure what kind of therapy that he needed to force the team into but something needed to be done. Between the number of deaths that had happened before anyone had figured it out was astounding. The fact that it was a civilian, well not quite a civilian but not a law enforcement officer, that had figured it out wasn't good. Then the death of Lucas Turner when it wasn't needed had been the nail in the coffin as it were.

Sighing, Aaron looked up the ceiling of his car. He had wanted Spencer to come back with him, but Spencer had wanted to go home. This had been Spencer's first case back, and while he wasn't allowed fully in the field, the barn he had been in had been protected. Aaron patted his pocket where Spencer's inhaler was. It was just like dropping his wallet into his pockets. Aaron knew that Spencer needed the inhaler and so Aaron carried an extra one. There was little that needed to be done for Spencer. He couldn't chase after UnSubs, but then he never did that much, to begin with anyway. Spencer had called Doctor Kimura on the way home and talked to her about how the weather had messed with him in the wetter climates, so a new inhaler was being called in that would help with that. Aaron wondered if he would have to ask for an extra inhaler or if Spencer would give it to him.

Spencer had not stayed with Aaron in a few days, and Aaron understood that Spencer wanted to be home, where he felt safe, but Aaron had hoped that after everything that Spencer felt safe with him. Aaron opened his car door but didn't get out. The blinding light from the overhead light had Aaron closing his eyes. He wondered what Spencer would do if Aaron showed up at his apartment and begged to just sleep in bed with him. They didn't even need to touch, Aaron just wanted to not feel alone. He figured that he could slip into bed with Jake. Jake wouldn't care and neither would Spencer but Aaron wanted more than just a body in the bed with him.

Sitting in the car wasn't going to do a single thing, so Aaron forced himself out of it. He leaned back in and grabbed his briefcase from the passenger side seat and shut the car. Aaron made sure it was locked and started toward the house. He stopped halfway up the walk to look up at the sky. There were stars littered everywhere, and there was not a single cloud in the sky. It was beautiful. Aaron gave a weak smile as a shooting star cross the sky in front of him, and he closed his eyes to make a wish. Aaron knew that the wish wouldn't come true but that wasn't the point of wishing, the point of wishing was that it was a heart's desire and sometimes learning those made all the difference in the world.

The door was locked, as Aaron assumed it would be, even the alarm was set. He turned that off and then shut the door. He would set the alarm from the bedroom as soon as he figured out if he wanted to sleep with a window open or not. Aaron's system was state of the art and was a trial from a security company. The windows could be opened as long as a code was put in that said the windows were knowingly being left open. Each window had a grid covering it that if something passed between, the alarm would go off. Aaron paid a good bit of money for it, but he was okay with that. It allowed him to keep his house safe and allow him what was needed to keep himself happy.

Aaron laid his briefcase down, frowning when it fell over. He looked down and saw that Jake's backpack was sitting there where it sat for minutes before he went to work and usually just long enough to get shoes and coat off when he got home. That it was still there was not good. Even when Jake had caught a bug and spent two days throwing up, he hadn't left his bag by the door. He had run up the stairs, tossed it toward his bed and dove for the bathroom. Aaron didn't draw his gun as he started forward into the house, he wanted to have his hands free just in case something was really wrong with Jake. There was little to do by go room by room. Aaron looked into the living room first and found it empty. He checked behind the couch, the chair, and anything that would allow someone to hide. The sunroom area was next. The large windows made the room pleasant to sit in during spring as that was when it got the best sun. It was empty as well and had little area where someone could hide.

The kitchen was next, and Aaron made sure no one was in the pantry. He wondered where the hell the person who entered his house was. Aaron checked the back door and found it locked, but the deadbolt unlocked so he locked that. Even the sliding glass door at the far end of the room was locked. The laundry room was next. It was empty and just to be safe Aaron checked inside the dryer and where the hot water tank was. Aaron debated checking the basement but chose instead to lock that door and deadbolt as well as chain lock it. Unless the person had a key, they were not getting from the basement into the rest of the house. Aaron could check it once every other room was checked over.

Aaron was only worried about the fact that there were two sets of stairs down into the first floor from the second. Aaron hoped that whoever was in the house didn't go down the other to come up behind him. Aaron entered the hallway between the kitchen and living room to find that Jake was on the floor. Aaron looked around before crouching to check his pulse. It was there and steady, as was his breathing. Aaron started to get up, but he felt Jake move a little bit. He was waking up.

Whoever had knocked Jake out had to have done it after Jake had got into the house a good bit and realized that someone was inside. Jake had his meat cleaver laying beside him. The cleaver was the only knife in the kitchen that was kept in a block. The rest were in the roll that was in a drawer. Jake had enough training from Aaron that he should have called someone. That was the most worrying part or even tripped the alarm. That would be something Aaron would figure out later. He pulled his phone and was in the process of calling the emergency line for FBI agents in need of help at home when he smelled a strange scent.

Aaron started to draw his gun as the scent filled his nose. Aaron had smelled that scent before. In Boston, a decade ago and then more recently when the Boston Reaper had come back. George Foyet was in his house. Aaron looked down at his phone to see that there was no signal. Foyet had brought something it seemed to block that signal. It was probably why Jake had not been able to get the call out. Aaron pressed his fingers to his lips and kissed them before pressing that to Jake's cheek. It was a signal.

Standing up, Aaron covered his gun and buttoned his suit jacket up. He centered himself in his stance and waited. He listened, and when he heard nothing, Aaron called on his abilities. The house creaked as Aaron pulled on the air around him. Aaron was damned good at controlling wind. He used part of it to hit a button that was only on the keypad for the security system in the bedroom. The window could be manually released but also magnetically released. Every single window in the how opened up and Aaron grinned. The game was on. Slowly, Aaron pulled the air through each room. Aaron spared a glance at Jake to see his fingers inching for the cleaver, not enough for someone who was staring at him on and off to realize what he was doing but Aaron could as he watched him. Aaron stepped to Jake and put his left foot directly in Jake's line of sight. Jake's fingers were quick as they worked on the strap that held Aaron's backup gun in his holster on his ankle. It was just seconds later that Aaron felt his pants leg dropping back down.

Aaron walked to his drink in the living room as the air movements in the house told him where Foyet was. Aaron started at the top of the house and worked his way down. The scent of him was older in the second and third floors of the house, so that meant that he was on the ground floor somewhere. Probably came down the far side set of stairs after Aaron cleared the ground floor. The scent of him was less on the ground floor as well so Aaron sent another trickle of wind through the house and he found that Foyet was on the second floor. He must have been down on the first after Aaron cleared that second and then crept back up.

Filling a glass with scotch, Aaron downed a single finger of it before he set the drink down and went to confront Foyet. Aaron drew his primary weapon as he crept up the steps, keeping the air coming from the second floor from outside. The scent of a sudden storm had Aaron grinning. That would be useful to him if things got out of hand. He didn't really expect them to, but then this was George Foyet, and the man had got the upper hand against the BAU and Aaron specifically once before.

Aaron pulled in air from the rooms one at a time once he was on the second floor. Foyet was in Spencer's room. That made Aaron's blood run cold. He gripped the handle of his gun tightly before moving to the far side of the hall to walk to Spencer's room. He found Foyet standing in the room with his back to Aaron.

"I went to the twink's place first. Took a while to find it as he was not even living there since I've come to DC," Foyet said, but he didn't turn around. He picked up something from the bed and Aaron realized that it was one of Spencer's shirts. Aaron's favorite of the shirts that Spencer had Aaron go and get from his apartment for him to wear. "You know he was smart but not smart enough. I can see now why the twink is on the team. It's always better to have something beautiful to put your cock in isn't it?"

Foyet turned around, and Aaron saw that the mask was laying on the bed while his face was free. It wasn't as if Aaron didn't already know who he was. Aaron stepped into the room, but Foyet didn't even try and move. Aaron put his back to the wall and looked outside for a second. The wind was picking up, and the storm was nearly on them. It was a massive one that was going to drop a lot of rain in the area. It made Aaron's blood sing. He grinned at Foyet who at least looked a little upset at that.

"Doctor Reid is not a cock warmer for the team."

"So just for you. You and your piece on the side get to fuck him a lot? Maybe after I am done with you, I'll go and visit him. See which he likes better my cock in him or my knife. Do you think he would love you still even if he knew that you were the one that chose for me to carve him up instead of your piece on the side downstairs? He tried to put up a fight, but I was too smart for him. He did cry out nicely when I clocked him over the head with my gun. He got me though." Foyet held up his arm to show a gash on it. That was what Aaron had smelled, blood. Foyet's blood smelled wrong. That usually only happened in corrupt Mutants. It helped Aaron understand what he was up against though and he wondered what Foyet's ability would have been. Thankfully the gene in mutants did not always turn on. Someone like Aaron could cripple the world if he had turned out to be bad. There were some though that turned bad after their gene had activated. Those were usually easier to track and watch.

"You'll never touch Doctor Reid."

"Do you call him that when you fuck him? Do you make him call you Agent Hotchner? Or is it just Hotch? Do you make him play the naughty agent or the one that's only on the team for you to fuck?"

Aaron knew that Foyet was trying to get Aaron so pissed off that he did something stupid but UnSubs with a far better understanding of Aaron's psyche had tried and failed.

"The strong silent type huh? Well, that's okay. I'm sure that once I've got you where I want you and I start carving on the piece of ass downstairs, your tune will change. I wonder what it takes for Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner to beg."

The sound of the gunshot was loud even to Aaron's ears that were used to it. He raised his to follow with a second shot just as quick as he could get the gun up. Jake's shot went into the meat of Foyet's arm and spun him to where Aaron could put one right in his heart. Foyet's dead body dropped, and the clatter of the knife as he landed was loud. A crack of thunder was the only retort and the only sound in the house. Aaron turned to look at AJake, popping his head around the door. There was blood running down the side of Jake's face, but it looked mostly dried.

What had started out as a fucking horrible day and night had turned worse but Aaron was alive, Jake was alive, Spencer was safe, and Foyet was dead.

"I need to figure out what he did to shut off the alarm and the phones and then get the FBI here," Aaron said.

"There is a device beside the alarm pad in the kitchen. I was looking at it when I heard footsteps. I ran to get to someplace where I could control what I was doing, but he overpowered me. He got a good hit on the head, and I stayed down rather than get back up again. Let's go and look at the device." Jake did not hand the gun back as he made his way down to the first floor. Aaron followed behind, checking to make sure that Jake was steady on his feet. He seemed to be.

Aaron found the device and saw that it was totally wireless, so he shut it off. Aaron pulled his phone from his jacket pocket again and found that he had a signal. Aaron dialed the cell phone of Strauss.

"Strauss," she said when she answered, and she sounded dead asleep.

"George Foyet broke into my home, attacked Jake, and is now dead by my hand."

"Shit. Okay. I'll send a team to your house now. Are either of you injured?"

"Jake will need to be seen by a doctor as he was knocked out. He doesn't think he lost consciousness, but once CSU is here as well as the team handling this, then I'll take him in to be looked at."

"I'll make sure that everything is handled on that end once you get there. I know that he is covered under your medical plan because this was not the first time an UnSub has followed you home. I'll text you details on team arrival as soon as I know. What about Doctor Reid?"

It was well known by everyone who had any contact with Aaron and Spencer that Spencer had been staying with him.

"He went back to his place tonight, which I am glad of."

"And your abilities?"

"I've got a hell of a storm brewing here, and it's not going to calm down as it's fed by my emotions. Make sure that any team that comes this way has wet weather gear."

"I can hear the storm where I am," Strauss said before she hung up.

Aaron looked at Jake who had grabbed a bag of peas from the freezer. Aaron walked over to him and took the bag from his hand to look at the wound. It wasn't stopping the bleeding. "You are going to need stitches."

"I figured that I would. I will go to the hospital with no issue just to make sure that you are quiet and stop mother-henning me around it." Jake gave Aaron a very weak smile.

"Stay here. I'm going to look around every single room. Don't touch anything more than what you have to. I know we live here, but CSU will need as much as they can to make sure that no one questions the shooting."

"Someone would seriously question the fact that an UnSub who escaped custody after all of the deaths he's responsible for breaks into a house of an FBI agent and the agent shoots him?"

"Politicians only care about their image, and if someone, one of those bleeding hearts who think that killing is never the answer gets it into their head that I killed him without fearing for my safety, killed him just to wipe him from the Earth, then yes, it will come into question. I doubt that it will though. Like you said he was in my house and attacked the person living with me. He was also threatening to stab and rape another FBI agent. There is nothing that would have stopped him from going to jail. Just escaping jail was going to make sure that he stayed there while his crimes were looked into. I don't mourn him. I mourn the fact that you were injured but then I taught you how to handle yourself."

"I set the gun on the kitchen table. I'm sure that it will be taken as evidence until it's all cleared."

"Yes. I'll set mine there as well once I'm done clearing the house. I would prefer if you sat down at the table and kept the gun close. Foyet has never worked with another person before but needs must and who knows what he's done to get back at me for not playing his game." Aaron held out his arm and Jake balanced himself on it as they walked over to the table. Jake sat down and tugged the gun closer before putting the bag of peas back on his head when Aaron offered them.

Aaron knew that Jake was strong but hoped this didn't bring back too many painful memories of Ethan.

The strategic checking of every single room showed that a few things were out of place but that Foyet didn't seem to have left any surprises. Aaron was coming down the stairs when his phone went off. He stopped halfway down and found that it was Strauss. The team to take over for him was coming as well as the CSU team that the FBI used. Aaron was glad of that. He texted her back a thank you and kept on going down. Jake was leaning with his head in his hand and staring at the table top. Aaron didn't say anything. It would be a little while for a team to get to him, even if they were just arriving from home. The CSU team might even make it before as the Hoover building was actually pretty close to where they lived.

Aaron sat down at the kitchen table and looked at Jake. Jake was still looking down at the table, but his other hand had moved away from the gun.

"How long will we be out of the house?"

"A day or so. We will be allowed back in to get clothes and stuff tonight. We can find a hotel to stay in."

"We will work out something once we make sure I'm not gonna be stuck in the hospital. Thank you for not making me take an ambulance."

"You are welcome."

Aaron jumped when he heard a knock on the front door. He shoved his chair back and grabbed his gun, making sure the safety was off before he walked to the front door. He did not look out the peephole but instead just stood at the side of the door where the wall was and pulled the scents from outside to him through the window.

"Strauss said they were fine except for the live in," a voice said, and it took only a few seconds for Aaron to recognize Brannon from the secondary rapid response team. The scents of them, their colognes filled Aaron's nose. "What do we do if he doesn't answer?"

"Shit your pants," Aaron said as he opened the door. Brannon jumped, but at least the safety was off on his gun. They were all in bulletproof vests. "I've cleared the house but feel free to do it as well. Foyet's in the used guest room on the second floor. Two shots, shoulder, and heart."

"You missed?" Brannon asked.

"No, my live in did with a gun he's never handled before, winged him though, and it was enough to make sure that I could take him out."

"Reid's room right?" Clarice asked as she stepped into the house with a pat to Aaron's shoulder.

"Yes. The room he's been in. I'm just thankful that he's not here tonight."

"You mean this morning right?"

"Har, har," Aaron said. He smiled at the team as they passed him. Clarice and Brannon moved to the stairs while the rest moved into the ground floor. Aaron shut the door and pressed a button on the alarm pad. All of the windows in the house shut as one. He heard several shouts and scrambling. He grinned. Jake was laughing while holding his head as Aaron entered the kitchen.

"You have too much fun with that." Jake grimaced.

Aaron sat down, pulling a chair closer to Jake and tucked him into his body as much as he could with the angle they were at. Jake went kind of limp in his hold. Aaron listened to the team clear the house, and he just breathed in the scent of Jake in his arms. He had been so very afraid when he had figured out that Jake was home with Foyet.

"Team is here, Hotch," Brannon said as he entered the kitchen with his gun in his holster.

"Good. There is a device on my alarm pad there," Aaron pointed as he spoke. Brannon turned around to look and nodded. "It blocked cell signal as well as my alarm. It seemed like I set it in the living room, so I don't know if he turned it on after I did that or it's something tricky. Foyet was good at that kind of stuff."

"We've all read about Foyet, Hotch," Clarice said as she entered the kitchen. "Every single team in the BAU has read about him and hasn't stopped searching for him. None of us predicted this."

"What was his plan?" Brannon asked. Clarice was leaning against the counter and looking around. The kitchen was very much a spot that Aaron and Jake spent more time in and it showed as it was more lived in and homier than the rest of the house.

"Tie me up, stab Jake while I watched before killing me. It might have been after Reid as well. He made a comment about that, but my team's just come back from a very hard case. We barely got any sleep. Reid lives further away than me so if Foyet was here he didn't have time to get after Reid. I don't want to wake him if he's asleep. He needs sleep after this last case."

"I'll call Rogers and have him do a walk by. He's new to the building that Reid lives in. He'll do it and make sure Reid's okay without waking him."

"Sure." Aaron stood up and helped Ja ke stand up. Brannon walked them out of the house and stayed at the door as Aaron got Jake settled into the car. Aaron looked up at the house one last time before looking up at the sky that was still dumping rain down on them all. CSU had pulled into the yard, and when Jake was more aware of what was going on around him, he would start to bitch about that, Aaron was sure.

Jake was silent the whole trip to the closest hospital, and when Aaron entered, a nurse jumped up to help him get Jake into a wheelchair.

"Agent Hotchner?" the nurse asked.

"Yes."

"Your boss called and said to expect you. I have Mister Durham's file pulled, and I'll get you the forms to fill out for him. We are going to take him into a single room here. You are more than welcome to come as well. Do you have a firearm that we need to secure?"

"No. I left that as it was used in a shooting." Aaron followed behind the nurse as she wheeled Jake into a room. There was already a gown set out for Jake to change into as well as a pair of shorts. There was a pile of sweats for Aaron to change into and the nurse shoved those to his chest.

"Dry off. The bathroom has towels. Then help him get changed. The shorts and be used to keep his modesty intact."

"He has none. He'd go naked through here if you let him."

"Well then for everyone else's sake, get the shorts on him."

Aaron changed, drying off as much as possible before he started to help Jake get dry and changed. The rain had hit the top of his head and held enough in the strands of hair that he was bleeding again. Aaron got a part of the towel wet after he had Jake in warm clothes. He used that towel to get part of the scab free and work on getting the cut to stop bleeding, but the skin was ripped so much that Aaron knew it wasn't going to.

Jake stayed leaning against Aaron up until it was time to take him to get X-rays to check on his skull and then other tests to check on his brain. Aaron stayed with him, only leaving when he was wheeled into rooms where the tests were going to happen. At one point the rising sun had Aaron looking out and deciding that if Spencer were asleep, he would be deep enough to not wake up if Aaron texted him. The FBI was full of gossips and Aaron would rather have Spencer hear from him.

_I wanted to let you know that Jake and I are fine. Foyet tried to attack and kill us, but we are fine. I have no injuries and Jake's getting tests now after being knocked out. Just give me a call when you can. _

Aaron wanted to say more, but he decided not to in a text. He would wait until Spencer was there and in front of him.

A text came through seconds later. It took Aaron a few seconds to realize that it was his work phone and not his personal one. He retrieved that from his pocket and looked at the text. It was from Brannon. There wasn't a single spot inside the house so far that did not have fingerprints from Foyet in them. Aaron's room and the guest room that Spencer was using had the highest concentration so far, but that CSU was far from done. Jake's room didn't have a lot, just the usual places and then Foyet was gone.

Aaron kept that to himself until they were back in Jake's room in the ER and Jake was laying down with his head propped on a pillow covered in a towel to catch the blood.

"Foyet was obsessed with Spencer, either it was because you were or he was attracted to him."

"Foyet was a hebephile. Spencer can in some cases resemble a very young man, so it was probably a mixture of the two."

"He talked about killing me but maybe keeping you alive long enough for him to go and get Spencer, calling him a twink a lot, before torturing Spencer in front of you. He was a very messed up man."

"That's one way of putting it. Budge over," Aaron said, and he waved at the bed. Jake moved over, and Aaron laid down. Waiting on the machine to be open for use had taken most of the morning and part of the afternoon. It was well after noon and Aaron was tired as hell. Aaron closed his eyes and tucked his head into Jake's side as he tried to take a nap.

It felt like just moments later that Aaron was being shaken awake. Jake was sitting on the bed with a change of clothes on him that was from the house. Brannon was standing there with a go-bag of Aaron's. Aaron nodded his thanks and got up off of the bed to change.

"Rogers said that Reid's apartment was silent which was a given that he was asleep as it's never silent if Reid is in it unless he's asleep. Foyet's car was found and the equipment in it made sure that we knew exactly what he planned to do to the two of you. My team and CSU are calling it a clean kill. Our reports are going to have to be gone over before it's official but if that were me, knowing what he does to victims, I would have done the same thing. He invaded your home and violate your peace. I packed a bag for each of you. Strauss has you booked at a hotel near here. I'll text it to you."

"Thanks." Aaron saw Jake's bag on the floor and was a little shocked that Jake getting out of bed had not woke him up.

It wasn't long before Aaron and Jake were leaving. Jake submitting to the wheelchair even though he was fine. He was stitched up with his head shaved again. At least he only had a little bit of growth up there. Jake got himself into the car while Aaron returned the wheelchair then Aaron was turning around to get into the car again. Aaron was dropping down into the seat when his work cell rang. Aaron grabbed it from the pants pocket he had stuck it in, lifting up to do so. It was Melendez from one of the local teams. They worked mainly terrorists but would help the BAU sometimes when needed. With Aaron's team on forced downtime after the last case and Brannon's teams working Foyet, it wasn't a shock that they had been called in. Aaron wasn't sure why they were calling him though.

"Hotchner," Aaron said as he answered the phone.

"Hotch, you've got to get to McLean right now."

"Why?" Aaron asked.

"Because I have Reid here and he's...I don't know what he is, but you just need to fucking get here now." The phone cut out, and then Aaron heard a gunshot over it. He looked at Jake and then flipped down the visor on his side of the car as well as Jake's before he turned on the lights attached there. Sirens were next. Aaron tossed the phone to Jake.

"Find out where the hell Melendez's team is in McLean, Virginia. I don't care who you have to wake up. They have Spencer, and something is wrong."


	10. Chapter 9

# Chapter 9

## Late July 2009

Spencer settled onto his couch with a sigh. He wanted to sleep. He had been in his bed, tossing and turning for two hours after getting home. He had not been able to lie still in bed and even now sitting on his couch he felt like was going to vibrate away. Spencer laid his head back and looked up at the ceiling. He wondered if it was too late to go to Aaron's. Jake had given him a key to the house when he had been mostly on the mend and allowed places alone without fear of him stopping breathing. He had the alarm code. Spencer could slip inside and get into bed with Aaron. The want of sleeping in bed with Aaron was strong. Spencer had showered when he got back to his apartment and changed into sleeping clothes.

There was little to do when it was still dark and too early for shops to be open. Spencer groaned and opened his eyes. He looked out at the pre-dawn sky. It was just becoming light out. He could see hints of red and orange at the horizon. It was later than he thought. Spencer wondered how long he had actually been on the couch and if it was just the strange passage of time or he had lost time again. Spencer grabbed his TV remote and turned it on. The last thing he had looked at was the weather channel for the area before the disastrous case where he had contracted anthrax. It was thankfully on the forecast for the day, so Spencer knew what to dress in. There was a little bistro that served breakfast and lunch that he had found that opened in twenty minutes according to the TV. Spencer shoved himself up off the couch and walked into his bedroom.

Changing took little time at all and Spencer was dressed in pants that would keep him warm in the pre-dawn cold but not make him hot in the heat of the day. He had on a light long-sleeved dress shirt and added a thin jacket. Spencer had been wearing the jacket when the call about the case had come in, so he had worn it to the case. Aaron had bought it for him two weeks before on a chilly day out. Spencer loved it before that, but the fact that it was a gift from Aaron was just wonderful. Spencer slipped into the jacket and sighed as it started to warm him up. Even after so many years in DC, Spencer was still a Vegas boy, and his body hated the cold winters. He also disliked cold mornings, and since it was July, it shouldn't be that cold.

DC in the pre-dawn hours was strange and marvelous at the same time. Spencer walked the area to the bistro, taking his time so that he wasn't there right when it opened. There were a few of the pros either leaving their area for the night or just arriving if they were the ones that worked the morning rush to work for those in DC. Spencer smiled at them and nodded as he passed by. They were kind of used to Spencer walking through the area at random times. Thankfully, the majority of them had stopped asking if he wanted company. A few of the males ones were new, Spencer realized. A few were looking at him like they wanted to make a meal out of him, but Spencer ignored them.

"Good morning!" the normal waitress, Rose said as Spencer entered the bistro. He took his normal seat, and a cup of coffee was brought out to him as soon as Rose got it poured. She also set down a bottle of half-and-half. Spencer added some sugar, not nearly as much as he used to put in his coffee and only splashed a little of the half-and-half. "How hungry are you?"

"Starved just...nothing pork today. What about the steak breakfast?" Spencer didn't have to look at the menu to know what he wanted.

"Eggs scrambled with cheese and peppers?"

"Yes, please."

"You got it, Doc."

Spencer watched the sun come up as his food was prepared. The smell of steak and fried potatoes was the first thing that hit Spencer as Rose brought his food. The second was that his stomach was so hungry it was almost eating itself.

"So why are you off of pork? You love bacon."

"Case. It made me a little uneasy with pork for a while. Nothing big just need a little space." Spencer picked up the steak knife that Rose had set down and started to cut up his meat. Everything looked and smelled wonderful. He devoured the entire breakfast in short order, leaving the pancakes for last. He had taken the time to butter and syrup them before he had eaten the rest, so the syrup and butter were nicely absorbed by fluffy pancakes.

Spencer cut them up and stuffed a very large piece into his mouth just as his cell phone rang. He looked at the caller ID. It was his work phone, and it was Rogers calling him. Rogers was one of the Unit Chiefs that Spencer liked inside of the BAU. The man called when h needed help and was always very happy with anything that Spencer gave him.

"Reid," Spencer said after quickly swallowing the pancake in his mouth before chewing it all the way.

"Look, I know that you've come off a bad case. Word travels fast even in the middle of the night, but I need your help. We have a doctor whose kid is being targeted by an UnSub. My team has figured out that it's probably a former patient who has lost someone but we have hundreds of records to go through. It's all hospital records, so nothing gruesome like that journal shit from a while back but a lot of it. I'll come and get you and drop you off when you've read through the files. You don't have to do anything but stay at the doctor's house."

"I am at breakfast a few blocks from my place. Give me five minutes to finish eating. I don't have anything on me."

"I'm outside your place. Text me where you are, and I'll come and get you and then take you back to get your gun and things. Thanks, Reid. I'm really glad you are willing to help and also really damned glad that I did not wake you up. I know what you are like before you get your coffee in you."

"You are also going to stop and get me one of those big assed lattes you and your team get me when I help you and still get me one when you come into work tomorrow."

"Hell, my team and I were going to get you one every morning for two weeks. I'll gladly get you one today." Rogers sounded like he was laughing, but Spencer knew the laugh well. It wasn't so much a good one as a relieved one.

Rogers didn't start to tell Spencer more about the case until he was in the car after getting his gun and credentials from his apartment. It was a strange case that had bodies.

"Scare tactics for the police," Spencer said as he looked at the files on the dead bodies that were found before.

"Yes. So we are working out of the doctor's house and keeping the kid back from school today."

Rogers turned down a street, and Spence saw two members of the team getting into an SUV and driving away. Rogers frowned but didn't try and stop them. Seconds later a text came through on his phone. He unlocked it and handed it over to Spencer.

"The kid slipped away and went to school. They are going to make sure that everything is safe."

"Good. Good. I'll drop you off and join them."

Spencer followed Rogers inside and was introduced to the Doctor who was a mess of anxiety at his kid being out there when someone could get him. Spencer had a feeling that most of his day was going to be spent keeping the doctor calm.

There was little to do except for jump into the files that were in front of him. Spencer picked up the first and found that the cases were in no form of order. He frowned and looked at Doctor Barton.

"Want to help me sort the cases into ones where the person you operated on lived and was fine, the ones where you operated and they lived but were not fine and the ones where you operated on them, and they still died?"

"Sure."

Hours were spent going over every single case. Spencer had drunk his coffee as well as more the doctor had made to help keep them going. Spencer was worried about Aaron and Jake. The message was very straightforward but the fact that Foyet had gone after Aaron made Spencer feel bad that he had not gone home with him the night before. What was done was done and Spencer needed to focus on the case at hand and not Aaron and Jake.

Spencer found a notation on a file that was handwritten in the top; it was barely there like it had been erased. It was the same thing that the UnSub had been signing his papers with. Spencer picked up his cell phone and texted Doctor Kimura what the notation of L.C. on a patient file would mean.

"Living children," Spencer said aloud as he looked at the doctor. "Doctor Barton where are you going?"

"The note said not to deviate from my routine. I always go and pick up Jeffery on my days off."

"Okay, I'm going to come with you." Spencer stood up and checked his gun and his credentials before he walked to the door. Spencer pushed Doctor Barton out of the way so that he was going out first. Just as he opened the door, a thought came to him. If it was a note that a patient had a child and not a DNR on file, it wasn't happenstance that it was used. "Doctor Barton, I have reason to believe that your son is not the target, but you are. I think that the L.C. that the UnSub has been signing his notes with means that he's going to leave your child without a father. Is there any case where you have lost a parent or even a child?"

"There was one, but I didn't operate on him. He was dead before he came to the hospital. Brain dead. There was no reason to even try and operate on him. Jason Meyers."

Spencer called the analyst for the team and made sure that the father of Jason Meyers was found and that the picture of him was sent to the school. However, while he did that, Doctor Barton went out the door and stopped. Spencer looked up to see a man standing on the lawn with a gun. The man raised it up and was about to fire when Spencer started to move. Spencer grabbed the doctor but instead of them going down the world went black and then they were both standing fifteen feet away. Spencer shoved the doctor behind him, and the doctor fell down. Spencer could hear the thud. He drew his gun and aimed it at Mister Meyers. The man was saying something, but all Spencer could hear was the rushing of air around his body, his own blood pumping in his ears. He saw the SUV with the team and Jeffery coming at him, but Mister Meyers fired his gun at Spencer.

Spencer fired back, hitting the man in the gut. Spencer braced for pain as he fired, but there was nothing. Then the sound of the bullet hitting the car behind and the crunch of metal was all that Spencer could hear. He saw the SUV pull up and one of them on the team was yelling for an ambulance that they had a perpetrator shot and a Federal agent was shot as well.

"Hotch, you've got to get to McLean right now," Melendez said as he stepped up to Spencer.

"Why?" Aaron asked. Spencer could hear his voice through the phone and realized that Melendez had it on speaker.

"Because I have Reid here and he's...I don't know what he is, but you just need to fucking get here now."

Spencer turned to fully face Melendez as he stared Spencer. Spencer swallowed, and then he saw the UnSub, standing there with the gun in hand again. Before Spencer could say a thing, the man aimed again. Spencer saw the bullet this time leave the gun as it was aimed right at him. The bullet passed through Spencer and hit the car again. Melendez dropped his phone and turned to his team to see that they were stuck staring at Spencer. Spencer was stuck staring at the UnSub who looked scared as hell. Rogers was the one that ended up tackling the UnSub, getting the gun from him before taking him down after finally getting out of the SUV. Spencer could only watch as it happened. He couldn't move. He looked down at his hand to see that it looked weird. He looked at his body to see it was the same.

"UnSub secure," Rogers said, and the sound of a car door slamming followed and Spencer watched Jeffrey ran at his father who was behind Spencer still.

Spencer turned around to see Doctor Barton hugging Jeffery.

"Thank you."

"Reid," Rogers said as he released Mister Meyers to his team to wait for the arrival of the paramedics. "Tell me what happened?"

"I figured it out. Mister Meyers there lost a kid, and Doctor Barton didn't operate on him because he was brain dead upon arrival at the hospital. L.C. stands for living children. He was going to leave Jeffery without a parent. Doctor Barton went outside without me, and I rushed at him as Mister Meyers raised the gun. I meant to knock him down, but instead, we moved. The world went black, and then we were fifteen and a half feet away, here where we are now. I don't know. I've been having minor periods of seconds where I don't remember what happens but this...I moved fifteen feet in a second. The bullet hadn't even penetrated the house yet from the first shot when we were there I heard my blood rushing through my veins and heard the wind around me. Then Mister Meyers fired again, and that shot went through me but not before I shot him."

"Yeah, we got here for that one. You are still phased out, Kid." Rogers passed his hand through Spencer's outstretched hand. Spencer still had his gun in hand and he frowned at it.

"See if you can catch my gun. The safety is off, so please be careful. I shot him." Spencer knew that he was freaking out and he did not need a gun in his hand. He forced his hand to let go and was happy when the gun became fully materialized as it fell. Rogers handed it back to the team member that stepped up behind him.

Spencer looked down at the ground. The phasing abilities of Mutants were not studied much because there were few of them. Same with teleporters. Spencer wondered if a lot of the Mutants who were labeled as active because of their intelligence were those ones that were the Mutant abilities that were lacking.

The arrival of the ambulance was a distraction for Spencer. He could focus on that and not the fact that he was intangible. Spencer's brain wasn't allowing him to be distracted for long though. Spencer lifted his foot and put it down. He could feel the resistance of the earth before him but if he pushed hard enough his foot went through the grass. Spencer knew that he was going to be going through a good bit of new training at Quantico before he was going to be allowed out into the field with his abilities.

The ambulance left, lights and sirens blaring. Spencer took a few steps in his phased form and found that he could walk normally. His mind thinking nothing about it. Yet again if he pushed, he would go down. Spencer dropped to his knees and pushed his hands down into the ground. He felt the dirt moving through him. It was like he was squeezing his way through the atoms that made up everything that was around him.

"You know, Reid, you do become whole again for a few seconds, every single time that you breathe. Like your body knows that you shouldn't be like this for so long and so it makes you turn normal again just long enough to take a breath but it's not your whole body, just your torso." Rogers was right there with Spencer. He looked worried, and Spencer wished that he could do something to make the man not feel worried but there wasn't anything he could do. He wasn't sure how he had become like this. He knew that it had to be his Mutant ability kicking on, but he wasn't prepared for this.

"The blackouts that I've been having."

"Teleportation. You think you are losing time because you are going from A to D without remembering passing B and C."

"I always knew you were smart, despite how you act."

"Sometimes I think that you and I need to sit down and watch a favorite show of mine. Columbo." The look on Rogers' face was not exactly that of friends. It wasn't what Morgan or JJ looked at him like but closer to how Aaron looked at him.

"I have a boyfriend." Spencer wasn't sure why he said that, but he did. He frowned. There was a siren, but it was getting closer to him. He looked around for an ambulance, but it wasn't. It was Aaron's car. He vaguely remembered hearing Melendez call Aaron.

"Wow, that's not made the rounds at the BAU yet. Damn. I guess I should have spoken up a while back. I hope that he treats you just fine. He's got a lot of armed men and women who would gladly figure out a way to make his life hard." Rogers turned to look at Aaron as he pulled in and got out. The second door opened as well, and Spencer saw Jake with a bandage around his head.

"Who is that?" Rogers asked.

"Jake Durham."

Aaron reached Spencer first his hand going right up to Spencer's face and then through it as he knelt on the ground in front of him.

"What the fuck?" Jake asked as he skidded to a stop on the grass.

"Rogers, report," Aaron said. His eyes were roving all over Spencer's face.

"Fuck Hotch. I called him in to help with reading files. I had an UnSub targeting a doctor and no other way of finding him given the time that we had. Something was going to happen after school let out today. Reid figured out who the UnSub was, but instead of him going after the kid the UnSub went after the dad. Reid here got the doctor protected first by teleporting them across the yard away from the gunshot and then shooting the UnSub himself. My team freaked out a little, and that shot that you heard was the UnSub firing at Reid again. It went through him, and he's been like this since then. He doesn't go through the ground unless he means to. We were just discussing him figuring out that I am smart."

"A real Columbo you are," Aaron said. He reached up to touch Spencer's face again, but it went through.

"That's what I said, and then he talked about the fact that he has a boyfriend. I don't think that I have to guess who that is. Should have known though, you two thick as thieves since day one. Still, it ain't gonna stop me from hurting you if you hurt him."

"Don't worry, you'll have to get in line," Jake said.

"I told you, all those years ago that I wasn't online yet," Spencer said, and he grinned at Aaron, despite everything that was going on.

"Rogers, you clean up the scene and stuff. I'll see if we can get Reid into the car and take him back to Quantico. If your team could call mine. Or at least Garcia. They should have got some sleep in them. Tell them that they need to come in on a personal matter and nothing else. I don't want them freaking out that much. I'll have the doc come to Reid in the BAU offices."

"You got it. Sorry I didn't even think of calling you back. You heard the shot and thought one of us was shot didn't you?"

"I thought Spencer was, yes." Aaron looked at Jake for a second and something passed between them non-verbally. Jake got up and walked to the car and opened up the back seat door. "Let's see if the whole walking and not falling through the Earth thing holds for sitting down in a car, Spencer."

"Okay." Spencer pushed up with his body, feeling the air moving through him as he moved through it. He walked toward the car and reached out for the door but stopped as his hand moved through it. Spencer laughed and tried to get into the car without falling through everything. He dropped down and his leg did go down into the car. Jake shut the door, and it moved right through Spencer's leg where it was sticking out.

"That's freaky," Jake said.

Spencer could feel Jake poking his knee.

"Quit that," Spencer said.

"You can feel it?" Aaron asked.

"Yes. I feel my atoms slipping through Jake's. I'm sure that if I moved through a larger portion of his body, he could feel it as well." Spencer stuck his hand through the door and made a swipe at Jake's face. Jake laughed and danced backward. He moved and grimaced a little before touching his head where the bandage was. Spencer frowned, but Jake just smiled at him.

Aaron walked around the car and got into the driver's seat, but Jake didn't get into the front passenger seat. Jake got into the back seat with Spencer. He reached over where Spencer's hand was resting on the seat and covered it.

"I can't even feel that. I don't even feel the warmth."

"We will figure this out Spencer," Aaron said as he looked at Spencer in the rearview mirror.

"At some point, I'll stop freaking out, and this will become really freaking cool."

"The one good thing is that you now know why you are dropping things," Aaron said.

"OH!" Spencer bounced a little in the seat, ducking his head before he hit it. Then he realized that he would go through the roof anyway. He debated actually sticking his head up and looked up.

"Oh, no. No heads through roofs. You will cause someone to wreck." Aaron was smiling though.

"Shucks," Spencer said.

"So you've been dropping things for months, your hands phasing through things. What about teleporting?" Aaron asked.

"I haven't been having issues with it up until after I was exposed to anthrax. I would hypothesize right now that it was what triggered the secondary ability of teleportation. The other has been a slow coming online, which is a standard for an ability like this. No one needs to materialize inside of a wall or something. My body was slowly adjusting."

"What issues were you having with the teleportation?" Aaron asked. Spencer was not shocked that Aaron had latched onto that one. It was part of how much he cared about Spencer and just the man that he was.

Spencer turned to look out at the road as they drove. Aaron didn't press even as Spencer was silent for five minutes.

"I thought I was blacking out for a few seconds. Usually the time it took to walk across a room. I would be at the doorway, and then all the way across and not remember the walk. I've never had that issue before. I was afraid of what it meant. It wasn't getting worse or longer or anything, and I just kept pushing it away. If I was sicker than I thought then I would rather not know and live happily until I wasn't anymore."

"I can understand that, but we are going to talk about that, Spencer."

"I know," Spencer whispered. He shuddered and felt his atoms moving through the edges of the seat. He focused on that, pushing the atoms back together. He looked at his fingers and tried to force it into his hand. He watched as he became more solid looking. He worked slowly from the tips of his fingers through his arm and each section got easier and easier. He smiled as his arm was solid before he focused on the other and when it was fully back together, Jake's hand felt warm on top of his.

By the time that they reached Quantico, Spencer was all back together. He looked at the buildings around him and wondered how long it would be before he worked out of anywhere else.

"I'll work on getting you an office, Spencer."

"Office?" Spencer asked.

"You know full well that you are going to be here for awhile working. Until it's proven that your abilities are not a danger to you, much less anyone else, you are going to be grounded, but I'll make sure you can still work. We can get a printer and a lot of other things set up in there so you can print off files and read them. I'm going to make sure that you have everything you need not go insane while working out your abilities."

"Okay," Spencer said. He looked at Jake who was staring at the back of Aaron's head. "How are you doing? Is that all Foyet did? Knock you out?"

"Yes. It was all he did. He thought I would be out longer I do believe because he left me alone. I shot him once in the arm using Aaron's backup gun, and Aaron got him in the heart. He had plans and those plans, I don't want to repeat. If you don't mind."

"Not at all. I'll read the file when it's released. Don't worry."

Aaron got out of the car first, and Morgan was already there, getting out of his truck. He looked worried.

"What's Jake doing here?"

"There is a lot to talk about, and I only want to talk about it once. Did Garcia get a hold of everyone?"

"Yes. She was here making sure getting all of her files backed up from her laptop. I was Hogan's Alley working through shit." Morgan looked at Jake's head and looked like he was going to ask but Jake shook his head, and Morgan nodded.

It was another twenty minutes before the rest of the team arrived. Aaron already had Spencer settled in the roundtable room with a cup of coffee and Jake on one side and himself on the other. Morgan looked a little wary about that and sat directly across from Spencer. Garcia filtered in when JJ arrived from where she had been in her office. Rossi and Prentiss were last. They both stopped when they saw Jake.

"This looks like a big story."

"I had a visitor last night," Aaron started, and he opened up a folder and picked up five pictures. He handed one to Spencer first before giving one to everyone but Garcia. "George Foyet is dead after trying to kill myself and Jake. We were not his only targets as Reid was targeted as well."

"What is that?" Garcia asked and she tried to lean over Morgan's head to look, but he kept it away from her.

"That's Foyet's dead body as taken by the CSU team that might still be crawling through my house. Strauss already has arrangements on a room at a hotel for Jake and I. Jake was knocked out by Foyet using the butt of his gun. He's been to a hospital and given a clean bill of health besides the stitches put into his head. Jake will be coming in tomorrow to debrief with the team to make sure that his statement is taken. I'll do the same. This is open and shut, but the red tape must be done."

"He was in your house? It's too bad that storm popped up last night. Probably why you didn't know." Morgan looked very upset at the picture in his hand.

"Yes, well that storm also made it easy to sneak up on him. That's not all we are meeting about though. For the next while, I would say at least two months, Reid will be grounded here to Quantico." Aaron looked at Spencer and nodded his head at him.

Spencer swallowed and looked down at his hand that was on the table.

"I know I've talked with you, Morgan and JJ about my Mutant abilities. Even when I was young, I never thought that my reading speed, IQ, and memory were my mutant abilities. Over the years doctors and scientists have stopped classifying kids like that until they actually come online. There is no difference on a scan between Mutants who are online and those who are not. There is no light switch that goes on. People like JJ have it kind of easy. She can feel that she's different. I've always been me. I've always been a little bit ahead of the others. I could read at two. I could remember things I shouldn't after that. My family thought that it was the breaking of my arm that had me turn active, the pain of it, which is what most need when they are that young. A traumatic event. It seems though that like a lot of times, I am right and they were wrong."

"That's not exactly rare," Prentiss said with a smile on her face.

"Yes, well." Spencer looked at his hand again and focused liked he had in the car only this time he wanted his hand to go through the table. "I went to help a team today. They needed someone to focus on someone who was targeting the kid of a doctor, and his files needed read through. I was alone with him when I figured it out, and the UnSub was waiting for us outside. He fired a shot at us, and I tried to tackle the doctor. Only we didn't hit the ground."

Spencer inhaled sharply and pushed his hand against the table. It went through.

"What the fuck?!" Morgan exclaimed while the rest of the team just gasped.

"Yeah. That's not all. I teleported us across the yard. It seems that my phasing has been coming on for a while. Maybe New York did it? I don't know but the teleporting, I've been having issues with what I thought were blackouts but was just me doing micro jumps across rooms. It took me nearly an hour to calm down enough to where I wasn't phased. The UnSub shot at us three times. The first missed because I teleported us and the second and third went through me."

Spencer looked at Morgan who was looking at him in utter shock. Spencer felt his stomach start to roll because Morgan didn't like Mutants. Not really and especially ones that could affect him. Spencer's could in very weird ways. Spencer looked at Aaron for reassurance, but there was only grim determination on his face. Spencer looked at Rossi next, Rossi looked shocked but kind of pleased. JJ and Prentiss both looked worried, and when their gazes jumped to Morgan, Spencer knew why. Garcia slapped her hand on the table and then looked at Morgan.

"Well?" Garcia demanded.

"No, no, I gotcha Mama." Morgan stood up from his seat, carefully letting it roll backwards. He walked around the table, and Spencer pulled his hand free, willing it to form back up. Morgan turned Spencer's chair to face him, and Spencer did not miss the fact that Aaron stiffened beside him. "Hey, tomorrow, once we've all got some sleep, how about you and I hit the training field and see what you can do? I'm sure that you'd rather have me right now than some stranger."

"You aren't upset?" Spencer asked.

"No, you've long declared that your genius was not your Mutant abilities and I learned to adapt. I already knew you were a Mutant and I've learned to live with that because you are worth knowing, Spencer Reid. So tomorrow you and I and Hotch will try and see what you can do. I'm sure that Hotch is gonna have a doc look at you today, and if he clears you, we can mess around. There are no staff members on hand that has either one of your abilities, so the FBI might have to recall someone who is active or bring in someone from the outside."

"I'll make calls. We are in this together, and we all want you back to fighting form sooner rather than later," Rossi said.

Spencer nodded his head, and when it seemed liked Morgan was going to leave, Spencer shot up out of his seat and hugged him. Spencer felt the stiffening of his body but not from fear or anything but from shock because it wasn't like Spencer to hug people. Morgan's arms came around Spencer and hugged him tightly. Aaron was there just beyond Morgan with a smile on his face. The next thing that Spencer knew he was being hugged from two other sides as well, JJ and Garcia wrapping around him to make sure that he had enough affection. It was kind of perfect.


	11. Chapter 10

# Chapter 10

## Early August 2009

Aaron reached out and looped his arm around Spencer's waist to pull him back to him in bed. It was the eighth night in a row that Aaron had gone to bed alone and woke up with Spencer in it. The first three had been a big shock because Spencer had not even gone to sleep in Aaron's house. Aaron didn't care that Spencer was sneaking into the house in the middle of the night to sleep with him but the alarm going off and turning back on was waking up Jake who wasn't adjusting that well to having the house invaded. Jake was talking to a therapist provided by the FBI. Aaron had his sessions with the woman, and he was quite happy with her. After the third night, Aaron had demanded that Spencer at least stay in the house. His things had never been taken from the guest room. Aaron had hoped that Spencer would at least decide to not play the bed-hopping game and go to sleep with Aaron, but no Spencer held strong and stayed in his bed, until part of the way through the night and Spencer fell through his bed, sometimes all the way down onto the ground floor. After that, Spencer would crawl into bed with Aaron because with Aaron there, he didn't. As Spencer had found out the first night when he had snuck into Aaron's house.

Spencer felt safe with Aaron, and it was Aaron's reason for why Spencer didn't phase while he was sleeping in bed with him. Spencer didn't refute it, he just didn't confirm it as not all of the variables were known. Aaron tightened his arm a little more, getting Spencer that short distance closer to him. Aaron leaned his head down a little to bury it in Spencer's hair. Just the smell of him helped Aaron go back to sleep for the last few hours of the night.

Dawn was slow to arrive it felt like when Aaron heard his silent alarm vibrating on his phone on the nightstand. He reached behind and shut it off. He didn't feel like a run, so he wasn't going to get out of bed. Aaron was on his back, and Spencer was curled into him. A leg was thrown over both of Aaron's and head on Aaron's chest. Spencer's arm was laying across Aaron's chest, and Aaron was holding onto Spencer with both of his arms. It had become their typical waking up position. Aaron tightened his arms for a second, and it made Spencer shuffle just that little bit closer. Aaron felt his cock pressing into him but didn't feel the urge to want to do anything with it.

Aaron could feel that Spencer was still dead asleep. Morgan was working Spencer pretty damned hard. Prentiss, Dave, and Aaron were working on Spencer and Morgan's case files and consults so that when the team was not in the field, Spencer could get through training as much as possible. Spencer's phasing was pretty well under control, except when he was asleep. Using rubber bullets and a bulletproof vest to stop bruises, Morgan had decided that Spencer had a near one hundred percent phasing rate when he was shot at. Unless someone else was behind him. Anderson had willingly volunteered as the test dummy for that round of training. Spencer wasn't good at forcing a phase when he needed one, but that could be taught after. Spencer's job was not based on him phasing, and it never had been. The FBI just wanted to make sure that Spencer was not a liability to the team before they allowed him out and into the world.

Morgan had not been able to bring out any form of teleportation at the moment, which Aaron was kind of glad about. Spencer still did it in small bits when crossing rooms if he was thinking too hard about something else. Spencer was refusing to drive, citing that he did not need to phase or teleport. He took the train to places that he needed to go or the bus. Aaron, of course, drove him too and from work as Spencer was already at his house. Cabs had been used in the days prior to Spencer just staying at Aaron's house.

Spencer made a low sound and rubbed his face into Aaron's chest. Aaron reached up and cupped the back of his head, threading fingers through his hair. Spencer settled down quickly. Aaron had found out quickly that Spencer liked his hair being played with though Aaron wasn't sure if it was just the fact that it felt good or him craving touch. Touch starved was a good term for Spencer, and after so long of being around Aaron and Jake, both of whom touched a lot, it had awoken a near beast inside of Spencer.

Aaron had never seen a person crave touch as much as Spencer did. Aaron was a left-handed driver which was good as it meant that Spencer could tangle their fingers together and hold his hand nearly the whole trip to and from work. In the evening, Spencer was right beside Aaron on the couch. It hadn't been like that at first. No, Spencer had been hesitant for cuddling on the couch. It had taken Aaron about half of a movie to realize that was why Spencer kept glancing at him, so Aaron had gotten up and moved closer to Spencer.

"Morning," Spencer said as he stretched his upper body and legs. After he was done with that, he stretched his arms, tightening his hold on Aaron just a little bit.

"Good morning," Aaron said and dropped a kiss on Spencer's forehead.

"I don't even remember crawling into bed with you. I don't remember waking up. Though I guess it did happen. I'm not questioning that. I just usually remember getting up."

"What do you think that means?"

"Either I was still asleep, or I teleported, either is an option, and I have no way of knowing which it was."

"Does it matter?"

"Not really. I keep hoping that I'll stay in my bed that I won't feel that need to be with you."

"I don't know what you want me to say to that." Aaron lifted up Spencer's arm from his chest before he used it to roll Spencer onto his back in the middle of the bed. Spencer blinked up at him, his eyes trying to adjust to the fact that he did not have glasses on. He was frowning, though, as he looked at Aaron. Aaron braced his knees on the bed, hovering over Spencer for a few seconds before he grabbed Spencer's arms and pinned them to the bed. "I like it. I like that you feel safe with me and want to be around me when we sleep. I can understand it freaking you out a bit. You are very autonomous in your life, and it's been messed up because of anthrax and now this. You want normalcy. Which is sleeping alone in bed and being at your apartment. Listen to your heart, your subconscious. Maybe if you stop fighting it, then you'll win in time."

"So you are totally okay with me just moving in with you. Living here full time in your bed, never getting away from me between work and home? I know you have your running, and I have things that I do throughout the week, but this is a very big step."

"I've already said the words, confessed the feelings, admitted that we loved each other. What more is there? I've lived with Jake for years, adding you isn't going to be an issue. You were living here, and then you weren't. I like it better when you are here. I would prefer that you stay in my bed, but you don't have to. I bet if you gave in and moved here that you might stop sleepwalking or sleep teleporting into my bed. You might not either. You have to do what you think is best but my opinion is that moving in here is best."

"What about the FBI?"

"How are they going to like it with me moving in?"

"It's already on your file that you are staying here and have been. I've already filed the needed paperwork for our relationship."

"What?" Spencer's eyes widened in shock.

"I did that the day I asked you on a date, Spencer. When it stepped up to more, I amended it. There are no fraternization rules per se. There are unwritten rules because of Dave, but as far as us, there are none. On paper, Dave handles any issues that will come up with you but as you are a model agent, few issues that are now under control, and unless you decide to jump in front of a shotgun-wielding UnSub with no vest on again, we aren't going to have any issues. There was not a single person that blinked an eye at the fact that you and I were in a relationship. None of them asked me if I felt I pressured you and given the fact that no one has asked you, well no one thinks it. Strauss was happy as there is still the stigma of a settled agent being more happy in a job though she agrees that bad relationships are never good to stick around in."

"Strauss settled a great deal in the past year, she's less scared you want her job."

"That's because she was told in no uncertain terms that even if I wanted to move up, it would not be until she either moved on or left of her own free will. She's fully understanding that I don't want her job. I'm happy as hell where I am." Aaron glanced down at Spencer's body. "And especially happy with where I am at this moment."

"Cad," Spencer said, and he wiggled one of his hands free from Aaron's to shove at Aaron's shoulder. Aaron followed the motion and then dropped down to kiss Spencer. Spencer wrapped his hand around the back of Aaron's neck to hold him in place as they kissed. The smell of breakfast cooking and coffee filled their room, and Aaron hated getting up but knew that they had to.

"We gotta face the day," Aaron said.

"Yes, we do."

Jake was done with their breakfast in the oven keeping warm by the time that Aaron and Spencer were dressed for work and got down into the kitchen. It wasn't rare for Jake to leave that early for work if the food needed a lot of prep. Jake would rather go in and do it himself rather than pay staff to do it. Aaron found two plates piled high with cheesy eggs, bacon, and potatoes. He grabbed an oven mitt and pulled out the plate that was for Spencer. Jake had not liked the no bacon stance that Spencer and Aaron had and kept on making it for himself for meals while not giving them breakfast meats at all because steak was for weekends when one was eating a late breakfast that was almost like lunch in his mind. The smell of bacon had cured them of at least not eating that form of pork. The others were a little slower, but then Jake hadn't realized that yet, or Aaron was sure that it would happen as well.

"You know, I swear I am going to get fat with his cooking," Spencer said as Aaron settled in at the table with his plate of food. A carafe of coffee, as well as two cups, were already on the table. If it weren't for the fact that Jake had done this for as long as Aaron and he had lived together, Aaron would say he was trying to be nice to Spencer to get him to move in.

"Morgan's going to train it out of you. I know he's been making you run and such."

"I did better on the exam this round even post anthrax than I ever have before. Garcia can be exempted out from it as long as even when she goes on cases if she doesn't leave the station house or other secure areas. I do want to go into the field, and so I need to have what I do with my abilities down. Though, the running sucks. Morgan doesn't run like you. He doesn't do a lot of things like you." Spencer spread a forkful of eggs and shoved them into his mouth, his lips still curled in a pout.

"We have the paperwork all caught up, and I have nothing pressing on my plate today as far as the normal aspects of my job so why don't I go with you to fields today. Maybe I can help in different ways. See something different."

Spencer nodded his head emphatically, still chewing his eggs. He looked really happy.

* * *

Aaron watched as Spencer inhaled lunch, which Garcia had delivered from a place that did not deliver and Aaron was pretty sure that Dave's credit card had a big dent put into it. Aaron didn't care because watching Spencer eat sushi with his fingers was kind of funny. Aaron had a weird view of it because Spencer was sitting between his legs. The whole team was there, and they were having fun talking and laughing on the large field in the middle of the running track.

"You seriously mean that I have been on this team three years and I have never realized that Reid can't use chopsticks?" Prentiss asked as Spencer popped another bite into his mouth. He might not be able to use them, but at least he didn't break up the rolls as Aaron had seen some do so that they could eat them with forks.

"We tried everything his first year on the team," Morgan said with a laugh. Prentiss was just staring at Spencer.

"I wonder if a better teacher would get him to learn?" Prentiss asked as she wiggled her eyes at Aaron and Spencer.

"Hello," a new voice said.

Aaron looked up at the man who was now close enough to block out the sun. Aaron did not know the man at all.

"And you are?" Morgan asked.

"Sorry, I was not expecting to see the premiere BAU team eating sushi in the middle of the Academy training yard, makes me really happy about my job here for the next while. My name is Simon Carter, and I am on loan to the FBI from MI5. I am here to teach your new Mutant all about what he can do with phasing.

"No, you aren't," Spencer said as he sat up. He looked at the man calling himself Simon.

"Which part of that was a lie?"

"Most of it. Your name is not Simon Carter, and you are not MI5. You are also not quite on loan to the FBI. They are letting you think that are fooling them on all counts but you are not. You are really not. I got an email from a friend of mine, Mister Carter and he said that one of his agents was being dispatched to get his head on straight and he didn't like it. Though I think that has more to do with Walmond's love of your cock doesn't it?" Spencer was grinning at the man as he said the words and for a few seconds, Aaron thought that something really bad was going to happen. The man looked at Spencer like there might be a lot of violence with Spencer as the one he was doing it to.

"So you are the American Boffin that Walmond likes to talk to and has been playing chess game after chess game with. Well, I promised Walmond that I would stick to my cover in this, but the only thing that I am actually here for is learning how the FBI treated its Mutants in its employ from an insider point of view and nothing more. The Director of the FBI put out an ask for anyone with phasing abilities to be given leave to help one of their own. Phasing and teleporting are two of the rarest abilities, and you have both, that's unheard of. So MI6 is curious, but Walmond will not like the fact that I was sent out to check on his friend but don't worry, all reports are going to be read by your team before I send them back. That's per Walmond and not my boss."

"It's good that Walmond's bit of cock is at least nice," Spencer said.

Simon cracked up laughing at that before he dropped down to sit between Aaron and Dave. He looked at Dave and pointed at the food. Dave nodded.

"I've read Agent Morgan's assessment on you, Doctor Reid. It's curious. Your inability to really call either on command makes it hard to teach you, but we can work on that. Once you get a handle on your phasing, it might help you figure out teleporting. Who knows what kind of weird wiring your brain has going on. My boffin has weird wiring as well."

"So who is Walmond?" Aaron asked.

"I met him online not long after I joined the FBI. We play chess together. He works in the British Secret Service somewhere, but it wasn't until recently that I figured out where just a few things he's said over the years. He's a good guy and has a very dry humor." Spencer looked at Aaron with a smile on his face. Aaron leaned in and turned Spencer's face all the way to him and kissed this smiling lips. Morgan groaned which made everyone around them laugh. It was kind of nice to just be like they were on Academy soil.

Typically, Aaron was not one for public displays of affection, but with Spencer, it seemed like it was the right thing to do, it made Spencer happy which made Aaron happy as well.

"I've read the files that the FBI has given me on your abilities and how they came about and the stress of that situation, but I would like to hear it from you."

"I hope you have a day because he's going to start when he was a kid," Morgan said, and he didn't sound like he was making fun, just trying to explain.

"I do have a day, I have as long as it takes. I'm sure that Doctor Reid can be a wonderful student if one actually tries to teach him in a way that works for him. I've been around enough geniuses in my tenure in MI6 to know that genius wrangling is an art that not many try and learn."

"Here, here," Prentiss said as she raised up a piece of sushi. Everyone else did as well in a mock of glass raising.

"I've seen the way that it works to talk to those who are trying to help me when I need it. The ways to make them understand things that they can't grasp due to lacking in their own education. Like a music genius never learning science." Simon gave Spencer an encouraging smile and then Spencer started into when he was given the status of being an online Mutant when he knew that he wasn't.

Once lunch was done, Aaron and the rest of the team, probably minus Morgan would head out to go back to do their regular jobs. Though for now, there was good and listening to Spencer describe everything in his own little way. A few minutes into it when Aaron was done eating, he pressed his lips to the back of Spencer's head, making Spencer pause for a few seconds before going on again. Aaron just stayed there, breathing in the scent of Spencer's sweaty musk. It shouldn't be as good as it smelled but it was that way to Aaron. Even if Aaron had already known that he was gone on Spencer, this probably would have been the point he learned it.

* * *

Spencer groaned as he rolled over from his side to his front in bed with Aaron. Aaron rolled with him, plastering his back with his skin. Spencer shifted and buried his face into the pillow that was bunched under his head and wrapped tight in his arms. Aaron reached out and touched Spencer's back, tracing the feathers on the Phoenix. Aaron still hadn't asked about the tattoo, and Spencer hadn't offered. Aaron wanted to, but he kept his mouth shut because Spencer would offer when he wanted to.

The air in the house was charged, and for once it wasn't from Aaron. The house windows were all open it seemed. Jake must have done that. The smell of a strong summer storm was in the air. Aaron inhaled deeply before he tipped his head down to brush lips over inked feathers. As he pulled back to gauge Spencer's reaction, he noticed that there were dates inked very small into the middle vein on each feather. Aaron looked up at the topmost feathers and found the first date. Two days after the team had come home from Georgia after rescuing Spencer from the hands of Tobias Hankel. Aaron trailed his fingers back down to the newest feather. The area was small, but Aaron could tell that it was fresh, three feathers were new and each one had a date between when Spencer had started training with his new instructor and the night before. Spencer had said he was going out and Aaron had not asked what he was doing. At least now Aaron knew, though he didn't care either way.

They were both adults and didn't have to account for their entire time away from each other. Given that they worked and lived together, a little time alone was a good thing. Aaron brushed his lips just under the new ink on Spencer's back before he started to kiss down Spencer's spine. Spencer groaned in pleasure before his legs parted to allow Aaron to slip between them. Aaron started to kiss back up Spencer's spine, not touching the area where the new ink was, only stopping when he hit the base of Spencer's skull.

Spencer had been coming home worn out and sore because while Morgan was good at teaching Spencer combat moves, the man who had come to them from MI6 knew how to train people to use their full advantage. Spencer had always had a bit of muscle on him, Aaron figured from lugging books and his apartment being a walk up. Yet, now he was getting defined muscles all over. The little fat that had been put on him from Jake's cooking and just not being as active as he used to was disappearing.

Aaron pulled Spencer's hair back behind his ear before he nipped at the upper shell of it.

"And what are you thinking?" Spencer asked, his voice husky but not with sleep.

Aaron figured that if he reached under Spencer, he would find him hard.

"I'm thinking its been weeks since we've had sex and I think that I need you this morning." Aaron lowered his hips to where his hard cock pressed into Spencer's lower back. Spencer hissed and pushed up into him. "I see you added to your tattoo."

"I go every few months. With the anthrax and then my abilities, I've not gone to as many meetings as I should, but I don't feel that need as much as I used to." Spencer turned his head to the side, his eyes opening and Aaron leaned over so that they could look at each other. "Not since the day you asked me on a date."

"You don't have to go alone, to either."

"I know, and some time when I feel up to sharing that part of me with you fully, I'll ask you to go."

"Okay," Aaron said. He slid down Spencer's body, his cock nestling between Spencer's cheeks and he scraped his teeth over Spencer's shoulder. "I want to see you ride me."

"We've not done that position." Spencer pushed up with his arms just enough to where he could roll over. He reached up and brushed his knuckles down the side of Aaron's cheek. Aaron turned his head to where he could press a kiss to the retreating hand.

"I know, and I'm feeling lazy." Aaron was smiling as he said the words but the widening of Spencer's eyes and the look of shock on his face made Aaron bust out laughing. Spencer's hands shot out and tried to grab at Aaron, but Aaron evaded them and then caught them. "Now I have you at my mercy."

"Whatever will you do with me?" Spencer could look coy when he wanted to and even downright chaste and this was one of those times. He looked as innocent and as the pure as the driven snow. Which because of Spencer Aaron knew the meaning of.

"I think that I'm going to roll us over, spread your ass cheeks, and drive my cock up inside of you. I think that I am going to fuck you until you come and maybe even for a while after. I think I might even tip you onto your back after a while and fuck you so hard you can't even speak." Aaron leaned over, pressing Spencer's hands into the bed and kissed him. Aaron leaned back, drawing Spencer with him. He kept on moving until he was on his back and Spencer was nestled on top of him.

"Lube," Spencer said as he pulled out of the kiss. He turned, staying straddling Aaron's waist to lean over and grab the lube from where it lived on the bedside table. Even weeks of not having sex between Spencer just adjusting to his new self and then training so hard he dropped, it never got put inside the drawer. Aaron watched as Spencer coated his fingers before smearing some onto his hand. Aaron groaned as that hand stroked his cock a few times before disappearing. Aaron watched Spencer's face as he breached himself. Condoms had not been used between them, even that first night. Too many discussions on them beforehand had resulted in Aaron not buying any. They were both of sound enough mind that they didn't need to discuss it each time.

Spencer was being a tease, fucking himself on his fingers, his mouth moving in gasps, his body thrusting in excitement but denying Aaron what he wanted. Spencer opened his eyes, staring down at Aaron with a challenge in them. Aaron grabbed Spencer by his hips, stilling his moving body before he slowly inched his fingers back, digging each one into skin until he had the tips of his middle fingers nearly in Spencer's hole. Aaron spread Spencer's cheeks. Aaron had little control of his cock, but as he pushed up, Spencer pulled the fingers from his hole and guided Aaron inside of him. Aaron made sure he was part of the way inside of Spencer before pushing up all the way as quick as he could. Spencer rocked like he was going to fall before bracing his hands on Aaron's chest.

Aaron kept ahold of Spencer's ass cheeks, using those to hold him in place. Spencer's eyes stayed open the entire time, his eyes focused on Aaron's. The static electricity built up in the room as they fucked, Aaron could feel it and knew that something was going to happen when he came, but he wasn't ready for the thunder that was so close that the house shook or the smell of lightning in the air. It had struck closer to the house, probably the middle of the backyard, again. Aaron held Spencer to him as he came.

Forcing himself to move, Aaron reached up and pulled Spencer down to him, he felt his cock slipping free of Spencer's hole and didn't care. He kissed Spencer, not caring about finesse or anything else. All he cared about was getting his tongue into Spencer's mouth and tangling it and Spencer's together and getting his hands on Spencer's cock. Aaron barely touched Spencer cock, and he felt Spencer's gasp followed by the sudden and peculiar feeling that something was wrong at the same time that Spencer's face left him, Spencer's cock was gone from his hand.

Aaron opened his eyes to see that Spencer was gone. Spencer was gone from sight. Aaron shot up on the bed to look around. He wasn't around at all. Then the sound of a thud reverberated through the house, and Jake's barking laughter filled the house. Aaron didn't care about anything other than finding Spencer. He ran down the steps and checked the guest room under his, but there was no Spencer, so he flew out of the room and ran down the steps into the kitchen. The scene in front of him was processing in Aaron's head until Spencer stood up. He walked right over to Jake and gave him a not that playful shove with his foot. Jake had been on his knees laughing so hard it looked like he couldn't breathe. Spencer started to rub his ass a little and softly said ow. He turned around and startled when he saw Aaron there.

Spencer started to blush, and Aaron wasn't sure what he was going to do. He really wanted to check on Spencer, but the laughter was there.

"He's an asshole," Spencer said pointing at Jake. "I get it. A naked man falling from the sky is funny, but it really ruined my morning. I wanted to cuddle in bed after making a mess all over Aaron."

"Come on," Aaron said, and he raised up his arm so that Spencer could tuck himself into his side and they could go upstairs. Aaron glared at Jake for a second, but Jake still wasn't stopping the laughing. Aaron forced his down deep inside because he did not want to upset Spencer. Aaron looked at Spencer as they started to walk, Spencer was frowning. "What's wrong?"

"I came. I know I did. I felt it. There is none on me, and there is none on the kitchen floor."

Those words just made Jake laugh even more, and Aaron couldn't hold his in anymore. He turned Spencer around to face him, enveloping Spencer in a hug. Spencer hugged him back as Aaron buried his laughter into Spencer's neck.

"Yes, yes, I am sure you do find it funny, but I want to know where the hell my semen is. I mean it has to be somewhere? Is it between the floorboards? In the bed? In you? Where did it go?"

Aaron wrapped his arms around Spencer even tighter as he tried not to fall over. He was sure that most of his laughter wasn't from laughing at Spencer, but an over amount of emotions but Jake was laughing because he was an asshole. Spencer would make him pay for it.

After several minutes, Aaron was able to control himself, and he pulled away from Spencer. There was laughter in Spencer's eyes and no pain.

"Are you okay?" Aaron asked as he rubbed his thumbs on Spencer's cheeks.

"It's more my ego. I was doing good. I've not phased when I don't want to in days. And then..." Spencer waved his hand.

"We have the weekend, why don't we use it? I'll gladly keep you in bed all day and night, getting you off as much as possible so you can learn to control this. I don't like the thought of you phasing each time you come as well, Spencer. So let's go upstairs, and we can see what kind of reaction we can get out of you while Jake cooks breakfast?"

"Why do I have to cook?" Jake demanded.

"Because you are the asshole that laughed at me after I fell down two stories!" Spencer nearly yelled back at Jake. Jake grumbled, but Aaron could tell it was good-natured grumbling. Aaron tugged Spencer forward. He might not be able to get it up again, but he could get Spencer going again, he was sure. It sure seemed like it was going to be an interesting weekend.


	12. Chapter 11

# Chapter 11

## Late August 2009

Spencer settled in at the desk that he had been given to work at in the main bullpen while the young man whose job it was to clean the police station worked on trying to get the stain from the floor. Morgan's meal and drink had hit the floor when the team had rushed out into the field to try and track down the UnSub they were hunting. The first UnSub was in custody, and while it was still unknown that he was taken, the team was trying to find the second one.

The files that Spencer had were the ones that were giving him trouble. There was something that they were all missing, and Spencer wasn't sure what it was. It was just a feeling in his gut. Morgan and Rossi felt that it was the fact that there was a second UnSub but Spencer wasn't sure that it was it. Of course, when the team had arrived in Alabama to hunt this UnSub, they had thought that it was only a single one. To find out that there was a second one was shocking. Spencer had been the one to figure that out after he had seen the prints from the first crime scene where seven victims had been found dead.

Spencer could still see that crime scene in his mind, and all he had seen was the blood, not the bodies, other than in pictures. It was horrific that humans had been flayed alive like that. Spencer never wanted to see that again. Two more death sites had been found since that one, and it was assumed by the team that a fourth was being used. The UnSub that was left had seven victims in his or her possession and was going to kill them slowly. That much was figured out by the team.

Once the UnSubs had acquired seven victims, they killed them one a day until all were dead and then the UnSubs left. The UnSubs used the smell of rotting corpses to draw someone to find their kills. Alabama State Police had not called them in until the third set had been found. Aaron had not been happy about that, none of the team was, but they said nothing. There was nothing to gain and no way to force a police force to call them in when it was needed, and anything said to the LEOs would just make it that much harder for them to ever call in the BAU again.

Spencer opened up the file that had the seven current victims pictures inside of it. He sighed as it wasn't hard to understand who was being taken. There was no true pattern as this group had two blank men, a black woman, a Taiwanese woman, a white male who after some digging was found to be bisexual or gay, and a Lesbian couple. The other two victims sets were similar in that none of them were straight, white males. The profile on the UnSubs was easy to figure out, outside of the fine details, but given that this small area had a large group of people that Spencer was pretty sure were closet believers in the KKK, it was hard to pick out the UnSubs out of the rest of them. The man they had in custody had been caught selling a wedding ring from one of the second set of victims to get money. That had been Spencer's idea because the second set of victims were a low-risk group while the first had been high risk. The UnSubs had gained confidence and the second set had none of their jewelry on them when they had been found. The UnSubs had kept it.

Rubbing at his temple, Spencer sighed and got up to find some coffee. He hated the coffee, and he blamed that on Jake. Jake sent Aaron with grounds to work, and even there, Spencer could drink really damned good coffee, not quite as good as the coffee at home but it was better than what had been at work before. Now Spencer could barely stand station house coffee and was tempted to ask if there was a place to get good coffee at two in the morning. He looked down at the cup and decided that if he was going to drink it, he would rather taste sugar and creamer and added a good bit of each to the cup before taking a sip. He added a little more sugar before calling it good enough to drink.

"Hey, Doc," one of the officers said, and Spencer turned around to face him. Detective Strange was nice, and while he was a little rigid in his stance on things, he had not been that upset that it was his case that had been given to the FBI. The man had been put on mandatory eight hours rest in the bunk in the basement by not only Aaron but the Chief as well.

"Yes?" Spencer asked.

"We got a really weird tip on the line, and it's just now being filtered out to where we have it. Did you want to listen with me? We can listen to the audio the Chief's office. He has the best speakers, and we won't have to put in headphones." Strange held up a CD and Spencer nodded.

Spencer looked down at his coffee and frowned into it but took a drank. He was wrong, even cream and sugar didn't help. He walked back to the desk he was using and looked into the conference room. The young man was still cleaning. Spencer grabbed up the files that were giving him issues and followed Strange into the Chief's office. The door was not shut, but Strange was sitting on the edge of the desk instead of in the seat. Spencer took that seat and laid his files out in front of him. The computer was between him and Strange.

"What are you doing?" Strange asked. It wasn't a reprimand or anything like it. He seemed very curious about what Spencer was doing.

"There is something wrong with our profile, and I can't put my finger on it. The rest of the team is canvassing for the second UnSub, and I'm not allowed into the field just yet so I can keep going over the files until I get it."

"Not allowed in the field yet? I thought that you had been on the BAU for years. That's what your profile on the BAU site says."

"Yes, I've suffered something recent and while I am cleared to help on cases, this is the first one I've been allowed to go with the team in a while, so the people above me want to see how I do before allowing me to follow the rest of the team into the field."

"That has to suck."

"Not really, I'm not built like a brick like you or Agent Morgan. My value is my mind and while sometimes it's nice to have my mind out in the field, I can do just a good here. It's no real set back except in cases like this where more bodies are needed out there."

"I hear you on that. We took over the case after the first round, and we thought it would be open and shut and then the other two rounds happened and we were just overwhelmed that asking for help kind of floated from our minds." Strange had been the only one who had been upset at himself for not asking for help from the FBI.

"So what is this?"

"It came through not long after the teams went out into the field after your tip about jewelry came through and got us the guy in lockup."

"And why is it strange?" Spencer asked.

"We get tips all the time on cases when we set up the tip line. Mediums who want to help or want fame. Usually, we can dismiss them but this one is just...it doesn't fit the normal strange that we get." Strange waved for Spencer to touch the computer mouse.

Spencer reached out to move the mouse to click on the audio track that was queued up. His hands stayed steady on the mouse, but when he pressed the clicker, his finger went through. Strange gasped.

"I can see why maybe they are afraid of you out in the field? You come on late in life?"

"Very. The phasing I have under control except when my mind is split in too many directions. It's the other ability that is giving me fits and it paired with my phasing is making for issues."

"I can understand that. My wife came online six months ago. While she's just intuned with nature and can grow plants really well, it's a little hard to control. Flower literally grow from nothing anywhere when she's emotional, good or bad. It's made a few things a little hard to do."

"Like sex. My first time I fell through two floors when I came. I can understand her issues. I can leave the name of a book that I read that helped me a little with that aspect. If she's still having issues."

"You know that would be good. She's got it mostly down, but there are times. Last time, we had a batch of nightingale grow in our bedroom. She loves the look of them but not good to have it grow in a house with kids. She's also pregnant, just a month along and the hormones are not helping."

"Oh, yeah this book will help. It was written by a woman who had been pregnant and then came online because of it. I adapted her help to fit me, so I think it will do wonders for your wife." Spencer grabbed a Post-It note and wrote down the title of the book as well as the author and handed it over. He grabbed the mouse next and hit click.

There was the normal person taking the call with the ask for information. Spencer only half listened until a male voice started to speak. He had a thick Texan accent. "The Bastille not only overshadowed the capital, but it darkened the hearts of men, for it had been notorious for centuries as the instrument and the emblem of tyranny."

Spencer cocked his head to the side as he listened to the person quoting the English classical liberal historian Lord Acton. The man kept on going. "The captives behind its bars were few and uninteresting; but the wide world knew the horror of its history, the blighted lives, the ruined families, the three thousand dishonored graves within the precincts, and the common voice called for its destruction as the sign of deliverance. At the elections, both nobles and commons demanded that it should be leveled with the ground."

"What is that?" Strange asked.

"It's by Lord Acton, a historian and it's about the storming of the Bastille that started the French Revolution in 1789. It's very weird, but I am not-" Spencer stopped speaking as his mind started to race and he thought about what the storming of the Bastille had gotten the people who had done it as well as what the Bastille would be considered in the current day and age. "Recall all officers, Detective Strange."

Before Strange could move the power to the building cut off. There were a few seconds of darkness, and then the backup generators kicked on. Spencer looked at Strange who picked up the phone and shook his head. Spencer dug into his vest pocket and pulled out his phone. There was no signal on it.

"Where is your weapon?" Spencer asked.

"On me."

"Good. So is mine. Get every single officer into this room now. I figured out what we were missing."

"What's that?"

"It's not a pair of UnSubs, it's a massive group, and they don't like that we have their friend. Where are the radios that work without phone lines and Internet?"

"In the weapon vault down the hall."

Spencer stood up and walked to the door and saw that there were only the three officers in there. "Everyone in here now and prepare for a siege. This is the only hallway to the lockup, and as long as we keep them out of it, we can win the day."

Strange slipped out of the room and ran down to the vault. Spencer saw the three officers follow and within a minute they were back with three duffle bags full of weapons and Strange handed over the radio. Spencer looked at him, and then all hell broke loose as there was the sound of gunfire on the far side of the room. Spencer dropped behind the desk and looked at the four officers that were around him. This was not going to go well. Spencer turned on the radio and connected with the channels of the officers that were out and about. He really hoped that someone was close and could get there in time.

Spencer put out the call that the station was under attack and all units needed to come back. There was no chatter other than the call out of how far officers were away. Spencer set the radio down and drew his gun. He looked up above the desk to see the force that was invading. All of them had ski masks on to stop them from being able to figure out who they were if they were successful at evading them. Spencer took aim at the first one that tried to get close and fired. It clipped the man in the shoulder, and he spun a little but didn't fall. He did start to go backward. The station was not dark, but it was low enough light that it was hard to see where Spencer and the officers were. The desk was the perfect cover. They waited, conserving bullets even though they should not have to. It was better to not have chaos going with the fact that the invading force could use that to their advantage.

"Doc, here," Strange said, and he laid something over Spencer's knee. Spencer looked down and saw that it was a bulletproof vest. He holstered his weapon as Strange moved to cover him so that he could put it on. Spencer was just about done strapping it on when the attackers started to fire on them. Most of the shots went above or around them, hitting wood. Spencer still ducked his head to finish before drawing his gun again. He looked at the attackers to see that they were trying to get perfect angles to shoot at them in the room. Spencer didn't care about that, as long as he kept them from getting down the hall, they would not leave.

"We need to keep them from the hall to the cells. If we can, they will not leave. The fact that they have invaded means that this person is someone important to them. He is high up in the group. They are freeing him, or they are dying."

"They are dying."

"Yes," the other officers said with a lot of conviction. Spencer didn't want to voice that. He agreed, but he wasn't going to say it.

When the team had arrived at the station, Aaron had deferred to Spencer on a few things. It was something that he always did with anyone who was going to be seen as weak at the places that they went. Spencer had no clue where Aaron had picked it up because it was not from Gideon, Max Ryan, or Rossi. Aaron had deferred to Morgan a few times as well. Spencer had never had so many officers that were older than him look at him with respect in their eyes and it was all because of what Aaron had started to do once Gideon had left the team. He had always done it, but as Gideon had always been seen as the top dog, it had never done a bit of good. Though, Gideon's way of treating the team had slowly made the officers they were worked with looked at the whole team with pity.

"They are hanging back," one of the officers said as he finished firing a shot at the newest that had advanced on the hallway.

"One of them went back out the door," Strange said.

"He's probably going to get something to make it hard to see," Spencer said.

"We grabbed the goggles we will need. The vests were hard to pull out because they were under the guns. Arnold is a little OCD, so he's been setting everything up behind us." Strange jerked his head backward, and Spencer turned to look, and he saw that everything they needed was behind him, laid out from the bag. Spencer's replacement ammo was there as well right where he could grab it. Hell, it was that way with all of them. "He's our guy for sieges."

"I applaud you for your care in your fellow officers." Spencer was kind of shocked that Arnold was not getting made fun of for his OCD. It wasn't something that many officers the country over would look at with a good eye.

"I do what I am good at, they do what they are good at. We've learned that it can lead to a good working environment. I also have the best gun range scores outside of our SWAT members."

"That gained our respect very quickly," Strange said with a wink at Spencer as he reloaded his weapons. The situation was stressful, but they were making sure that they stayed calm. Spencer had a lot of respect for these four officers, and he would make sure that the FBI and everyone who needed to know knew that.

"What the hell," Arnold said.

Spencer wasn't sure what he was talking about until he heard the crash of thunder and the rattle of the building from it.

"There was no storms on the weather for the whole week. I mean like under ten percent chance of rain at all." Arnold frowned and lifted his phone but then remembered that there was nothing. The attackers had jammed not only the cells but the Internet as well.

Spencer's eyes were on the attackers with the other two officers, and he saw when the doors blasted opened behind the attackers. A massive blast of cold storm air slammed through the entire building. Spencer felt it. There was something about it that had Spencer frowning. No one came barreling into the station. The doors did not shut.

"The doors are held open with magnets. They have to be pulled off. They are not going to shut until someone pulls them shut.

Most of the attackers turned to fire, trying to catch whoever was coming in unawares.

Spencer smelled the ozone of lightning before the first strike landed just inside the room. That freaked out the attackers.

"Who the hell is a Storm Lord?" one of the other officers asked as the attackers started to duck behind desks that protected them from both sides.

"You mean that's not one of yours?" Spencer asked.

"We only wish we had a Storm Lord on the team. I know that NYC has one on their payroll and it's the only reason that last Hurricane didn't do as much damage as it should have. They are legends."

Spencer knew that well, and it wasn't until the wind picked up again that Spencer knew that the Storm Lord was entering the building. What looked like a small tornado was slowly moving into the station. The attackers started to fire, but Spencer knew that the wind was so fast and so sheer that nothing was going to penetrate that. There were only a few Storm Lords or Queens as they had called themselves since Mutants had come to the front of society. Spencer had seen a few papers about some of them. Most worked for forest industries except for the one that worked for the Coast Guard in New York.

"So not your team?" Strange asked.

"No?" Spencer said, and even to him, he heard the severe question in it.

No one entered the station behind the Storm Lord, but Spencer knew that there had to be someone back there.

The static electricity in the place raised and raised until Spencer could feel his hair on his head starting to lift up. There was a sudden discharge of that and lighting shot out from the tornado, and it moved like it was alive. Spencer could see it arc down but move around the desks. The sound of firing guns stopped, and Spencer waited until nothing happened next before he got up and started to go and make sure the attackers were all out like a light. The first that Spencer saw the person in the tornado his mind tried to balk at it. Spencer looked at Aaron as the man looked around. It was like he was using the air to make sure that all of the UnSubs were out.

Aaron's eyes narrowed in on Spencer, and for a few seconds, Spencer knew what it was like to stare into the eyes of chaos. Aaron's eyes looked like the center of a storm but not the eye of the storm where it was calm but the raging inferno that was a wicked storm. The raging storm outside started to calm down as soon as Aaron realized that he was looking at Spencer.

"Are you okay?" Aaron asked.

"We had them well under control, Aaron Hotchner. There was no reason to invade like I was already dead and you were getting revenge."

"We had nothing other than your radio call. Your phone is off."

"No, they cut the Internet, the phone lines, and jammed the cells. No one asked for more information after I said that communication was only through the radio."

"We were already on our way here as you had not answered your cell and the phones for the station weren't working."

"We had a few minutes warning," Strange said as he stepped up behind Spencer to help him stand up from his crouch. As soon as Strange touched Spencer's elbow to help him up, Aaron growled. Strange stepped back with raised hands.

"How?"

"The UnSubs warned us that they were coming by quoting Lord Acton."

"They compared this to storming the Bastille? Well one of them is a history buff."

Morgan was the first inside with Prentiss behind him. They were both in bulletproof vests, and Spencer realized that Aaron was as well, he had just been more focused on the whole Storm Lord thing. Spencer frowned as he heard the clink of cuffs. He looked around to see that Arnold had a stack of handcuffs on one of the desks and he and the other two officers were cuffing the knocked out men. Morgan stepped forward to help with that as well. There were thirteen of them that Spencer counter given the limbs that he could see.

"Where is the one that went outside?" Spencer asked.

"He was Zeused," Morgan said.

"Zeused?" Strange and Spencer asked at the same time. Spencer saw Morgan just grin at him, and Spencer started to laugh.

"Zeus used to throw bolts of lightning at people. I assume that Morgan doesn't want to say smite since they are not burning husks but still Morgan that was bad."

"Oh, I know Pretty Boy but did you see what he did? I saw what he did to the dude outside. Hotch is very much a BAMF. Though we knew that already."

"I'll find the jammers and see about connecting the lines again," Arnold said as he cuffed the last UnSub that was left.

"I'll go with you, just in case," Prentiss said as she redrew her gun. As the two of them left, the Chief of the station came back.

Spencer watched the Chief as he looked around.

"You know when I read that there was an open fire in my station, I expected something more than this."

"Well, Sir. Agent Reid was able to get us into your office as soon as we realized we were going to be attacked. They arrived before we could put out the call. We raided the armory and secured radios and then called out. Arnold has us prepared for a full-on siege and enough ammo to take on an invading army." Strange sounded proud of hell of his fellow officer.

"We can do a play by play after we get these guys down into lock up. I want audio turned up high and none of them in a cell with each other." The Chief stepped aside as the paramedics arrived to take care of the man who had been shot by Spencer. Spencer looked at him with a grimace. If that was the main injury, it was a good day.

"I think that the one that we already have in custody needs more to an interrogation room," Spencer said.

"Why?" the Chief asked.

"Because the only reason that the group would assault this station is if they wanted to free that man and they would only do that for someone in charge. He is either the primary or the secondary. I want to see which one he is." Spencer looked at the file that was on the desk. There was a map on it, and Spencer realized that he had seen one of the shapes before. "I need a lantern."

Spencer walked to the conference room and realized that no one had secured the kid who had been cleaning in there and he was not in there. Spencer turned and looked at Strange.

"I didn't see him leave," Strange said.

"Neither did I." Spencer walked to the men and saw that few of them were unmasked. There was one that looked kind of like the kid. Spencer pointed at him.

"That's little Gray's uncle. So that's why Gray disappeared. He was probably given the notice to leave. Put out an APB on him. I want to make sure that he's fine and figure out how much prior warning he had," the Chief said, and he looked very upset. One of the secondary officers walked up with a lantern and Spencer took it so that he could get into the conference room. He walked up to the map and found what he was looking for. Spencer reached into the box that held his supplies and found the pen that he wanted. He outlined what he had connected.

"Where is this?" Spencer asked.

"That's private land. In Gray's family. Why?" Strange said.

"Because the one who I checked for a pulse after Hotch knocked him out, had this on the inside of his wrist. The map on the desk out there had it, and I connected it to this map. If we do not have all of the members, this is where they will be, and that might be able to tell us where the seven other victims are."

"My team will gladly go with your officers to raid that place," Aaron said.

"And you?" the Chief asked.

Aaron looked at Spencer who nodded.

"Me as well. Agent Reid will stay here to help coordinate if the victims are elsewhere."

"I'll stay with the Doc," Strange said.

"I'll stay here as well to get this under control and get ahold of the main hub to let them know what happened. No injuries and no loss of life on our end are pretty damned good. I'll also see about good coffee being brought in as well as food. Everyone is going to want to eat."

"Reid," Aaron said as Spencer turned to go back to his map. The other officers filed out of the conference room. It still smelled like french fries and soda, but Spencer tried to filter that out. Aaron shut the door. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. It didn't take long to connect the two, I'm just glad that someone felt it necessary to alert Strange on the weird call. We were moving an in the Chief's office before the attackers even entered the building."

"I heard one of the two other officers with you that they checked on the kid cleaning the room and didn't see him so assumed he had just left. His supplies are put up, I can tell that. He might have got the word, or he might have finished. I'll make sure he's given a fair shake if that's it. You did well with the siege on this place."

"The Chief's office was the best place. We could stop them from getting their prize and protect ourselves. It was better than being in the hall. The hall was too big, this office door would stop them from getting more than one person in before we could kill them." Spencer looked Aaron up and down, seeing that despite the storm that had been raging outside, probably Aaron's, he was dry while Morgan had looked a little wet, as did Prentiss. "So Storm Lord?"

"That term wasn't that big when I was a child. Upset that you didn't guess it first?"

"Not really because I was going the wrong way. Your hands always get so damned warm and once when we were having sex you left marks just from holding me. Nothing that hurt." Spencer wanted to make sure that Aaron wasn't upset at himself.

"I know. I've left them on Jake before. Jake always really liked them. I've seen you fingering them in the mornings when you are naked in the bathroom. I've seen you looking at them and getting half hard."

"That's why you fucked me over the counter that morning," Spencer said. He remembered that morning not too long ago. He had never understood because Aaron had not even been hard when they had woken up, and then all of a sudden Spencer was being bent over the counter and fucked within an inch of his life. Spencer had assumed it was Aaron remembering the night before where Spencer had fucked him. It had not been the first time that Spencer had done it but it had been so long that Spencer had pulled two orgasms from Aaron before finally coming himself.

"Yes. Static burns are what Jake and I have figured out they are. While I have all of the weather at my control, as you can see lightning is the biggest one that I have control of. When this case is over, and we are home, I'll tell you everything."

"I'll hold you to that."

"You better. You deal with the UnSubs that are here. Help them be identified. Help with whatever they need."

"I planned on it. Chief's bringing in good coffee. I'd do anything for him." Spencer wagged his eyebrows at Aaron with a smile on his face.

"Well, I had planned on bringing you chamomile tea and send you to bed when I got back, hell we were all going to go to bed. A sleepless night and the case mostly over is better than restless sleep because we are unsure if the victims are getting killed. I'll be happy to go home and get a full night's sleep in my own bed though."

"Everyone will. Now, head out and get the victims." Spencer gave the air a kiss and Aaron did it back. It was a small show of affection between them that they could get away with in public at work. It was enough.


	13. Chapter 12

# Chapter 12

## Late August 2009

Aaron settled in at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in his hand. Spencer was at the counter making his own cup. It wasn't quite dinner time, but Aaron wasn't that hungry. He knew that he had nothing to fear. Spencer wasn't going to be upset about Aaron and his ability, but what he was getting ready to tell Spencer, Aaron had never told anyone. The FBI knew some of it, what Aaron thought that they needed to know but the more significant details, the more intricate ones, Aaron had kept to himself. Jake had to be at the restaurant and Aaron was kind of glad but also saddened by that. He had hoped that Jake would be there for moral support for both of them. Spencer turned around, leaning against the counter instead of coming over to the table. He looked liked he was settled in there for the discussion.

Sighing, Aaron started to open his mouth, but he stopped when he realized that Spencer's head was cocked to the side. Aaron knew that move from years of working with him. Spencer was thinking, and he was thinking hard. He wasn't going to hear a single word that Aaron was saying. So Aaron waited until Spencer stopped thinking about whatever he was thinking about. Aaron didn't get a single bit of warning before Spencer was moving away from him. He carried his coffee cup out of the kitchen and disappeared toward the living room. Aaron picked up his coffee cup and followed behind him. Spencer didn't go to the living room though, he went to the sunroom that was full of sun, and it was warm. Spencer was seated in the chair that Jake usually sat in so Aaron took his chair. Aaron was already working on getting a third chair for Spencer even though that would mean getting new everything so that it all matched.

"When did your abilities manifest? You have a surprising amount of control over them, and even for someone your age, I can only assume it was when you were young."

"I don't know exactly when my abilities manifested. When I came online as the term has been changed to over the years. I was four the first time that I did damage with them. There is something that the limited experimentation that Storm Lords and Storm Queens have allowed has brought about. Our abilities are innate. We are weather wardens, and we control them, they do not control us. Yes, we can give in and let the storm overtake us, but it's still us. Mother Nature provided when she gave us these abilities. She allowed us to mature into them slow no matter when we manifest."

"That's interesting," Spencer said.

"Yes, well. What do you know of the storm that happened in spring of nineteen seventy?" Aaron asked. He leaned back in the chair and took a sip of his coffee. Spencer's face became thoughtful. He frowned at Aaron after a minute and then his face became thoughtful again. Aaron always liked watching what Spencer's face did when he was thinking. It was so expressive but nothing compared to when he was with Aaron. Aaron had always thought that Spencer was expressive, but he really wasn't when he was out and about in the world. His face was animated, but it was all an act, a defense mechanism that he had learned to appear like everyone else. There was such a stark difference in him when he was with Aaron or with Jake.

"It was one of the worst storms that had ever hit Virginia that was not a hurricane. Scientists have studied it and have never figured out what caused the conditions that caused it, but they are keeping track of the small things that started before the storm. I could go into more detail, but if you asked, you have something to add, and I don't think my long speech about it will help."

"No, every single Storm Lord and Queen that was known at the time though they were called Weather Wizards at the time until the group of us banded together to get rid of that term. Anyway, they were called forward to help to contain the storm once it was realized what it was, what it was going to be but no one was able to stop it. There were only three of them at the time." Aaron knew that he was telling Spencer things that he probably already knew, but it was needed to understand what he was going to tell him after. "The storm was a slow build. Light rain and a little bit of wind. It was spring, rain was normal in spring it as no big deal. Then it got worse and worse and then it started to flood areas. It was too much rain, and with it just flowing into the ocean, it didn't really flow quicker than the ocean filled. The government started to step in and get support for the people who were in the flooding areas. Those on the coast were prepared for hurricanes but not a storm that just didn't want to end."

"It ended up costing millions in damages."

"Yes. The first rain started to fall on the Sunday that my father slapped me in the face the first time, that I remember that is. I had embarrassed him when he had guests over for dinner because one of the food items that our cook served made my breathing feel funny. It was figured out that there was a spice in the glaze that I was allergic to. I grew out of it. The rest of that week the verbal abuse just got worse and worse as the storm bore down more and more on the area. It was horrific to see the rain and to know that we were in danger, but my parents didn't care. Hotchner's don't run from rain. Hell Hotchner's don't run from anything. Mother let me outside the first few days but when the rain got harder, and the wind got stronger, and one gust knocked me over into the mud and covered me, mother didn't allow me outside again. I was stuck in my bedroom and wasn't allowed out because the roads were flooding so my father's office didn't have staff coming in. Father could do most of his work over the phone or from paper files that he brought home."

Spencer set down his coffee cup and turned in his chair more toward Aaron. Aaron smiled at Spencer to show that he was glad of the silent support.

"So here I was a four-year-old kid that was used to playing outside. I was banished outside a great deal of the time when I got on mother or father's nerves. I remember that well. I had a Nanny, but she was stuck as the flood waters had crept up around where she lived and leaving was going to get her arrested. Martial law was in effect in most of Virginia by that point. To stop people from leaving their homes unless they were getting away from flood waters. Father was upset that someone else wasn't around to watch me and Mother had to do it. He was pissed that his wife wasn't at his beck and call when he wanted. I only assume that he was bored and would rather just have sex than to actually entertain himself."

Spencer crinkled his nose at that image and Aaron laughed. He had long ago stopped having any care for his parents the way that most kids did. Aaron didn't care about thinking about his parents having sex. He knew that they had to, to have two kids.

"Anyway, I was stuck in my room and bored. When I left to do anything I got yelled at. A week after the rain started, Sunday again, I went downstairs for dinner. It was a big meal, and a few of the people that my father really wanted to impress were there. He wanted their money and wanted to be their lawyer. One of the people had brought their son with them and their son's nanny. So after I was paraded around as the perfect token child, the other kid and the nanny and I were banished to eat in the kitchen with the rest of the help. The other boy was a year or so older than me and already near sociopathic. I've often wondered if that was not the part where I became fascinated with helping those who can't help themselves. The boy was a terror." Aaron stopped to take a drink of his coffee. It was still warm, but he was almost empty.

Aaron got up to refill both mugs, snagging Spencer's after he drained it. Aaron took his time but didn't dally around. It wasn't that he didn't want to do this, it was just that it was hard to talk about. He filled a carafe with coffee and looked at the time before he settled the mugs and carafe down on a tray. He called in a food order to the Thai place that was close. Aaron knew exactly what Spencer would eat, and he got enough for two meals as well as a few of the things that Spencer really liked for appetizers.

Spencer was silent as Aaron set the tray down and settled back into the chair with his mug in hand. Spencer didn't even move to pick up his drink. He just stared out the window at the beautiful sky that was outside. Aaron knew that Spencer had a parent who loved him more than anything else in the world. Spencer had talked about his mother wanting the best for him despite her own illness and despite the fact that sometimes that meant that she got the wrong end of the deal. Aaron knew that Spencer had chosen to honor what his mother wanted as far as his education went instead of choosing the option to take care of her on his own. It had been one of the worst decisions in his life that he had to make, but Aaron agreed that it was the best one. Aaron had talked to Diana a little during the case where she was needed for her memory. She was a good mother that had the worst thing happen to her that stopped her from being a good mother most of the time. Aaron wouldn't ever want to change that though. If she had been hearty and hale, whole in mind as well as body, who knows what would have happened with Spencer. There was a lot that could change in that instance. Spencer could have stayed in academia. He could have moved to another country to pursue different degrees. The world would have been at his feet, and Aaron would have hated that. Yes, he knew that he wouldn't have known about him, but the Spencer shaped hole in his heart never would have been filled. Aaron would have never found the love that he had at the moment. It was wonderful and scary at the same time.

Aaron turned his chair to where he was looking outside before he started to speak again. "The kid was horrible. He terrorized the cook that we had as well as the rest of the kitchen staff until the Nanny put her foot down to have him sit at the table and stay there. Every time that he tried to get up, she would push him back down. He started to get more and more upset until he pushed her over and ran to grab a knife that was on the counter from where it had been used to cut up something. When the Nanny tried to take it, the kid cut her pretty bad. The knife was sharp, kept that way because the household had everything that was the best. The Nanny screamed, and it brought the adults into the room. The cook, by that point, had taken the knife from the boy's hand and was holding him up to where he had two choices, settle down or hurt himself. He could barely keep his feet under him. The parents though were distraught that their precious little boy was being treated like that, nevermind the woman on the floor who was screaming and crying and bleeding everywhere.

"That started a screaming match between father and the other father. Ignoring the woman who was bleeding. One of the staff was trying to stop the blood flow. Finally, the mother realized that the kid had bloody hands, the knife in the cook's hand was covered in blood, and the Nanny was screaming that the kid had done it. You know it's funny, I remember nearly everything from that night, from that two week period but I can't remember the kid's name or anyone's really. When the father was forced to listen to his wife, he blanched white and bundled his wife and kid into the car before helping the Nanny in. I found out later that they dropped her off at the hospital, left enough money to cover her care and never contacted her again. I never saw her again, and no one cared to find out how she was doing."

"What happened next?" Spencer asked. There was a wariness to his tone like he had guessed some of it but was afraid that what he was thinking wasn't even remotely horrible enough.

"Oh, father was livid. Even though none of it happened because of him, it happened in his house, and he was afraid that he would lose contracts from everyone who was there because of some kid who needed a lot of help had gone insane and tried to kill his Nanny. It became my fault because I showed I wasn't a man by not stopping the kid who was older and bigger than me from attacking that woman. My father ranted and raved about it. Mother tried to stop him, and he backhanded her so hard that she spun around and hit the floor and either she was knocked out, or she didn't get up so that he wouldn't focus on her again. Father ripped my shirt off and tossed me to the floor. He grabbed up his sharp letter opener, and I felt the pain, but it took me a little to figure out what it was. The blood ran down my back. It's the faded scars I've felt you trace when you think I am asleep. When my mind caught up to the fact that my father was carving into my back to show me that I would never be a man, I got so upset. Mother was awake then, and she was looking at me like she was so happy. It wasn't until I was older that I realized that it was because he wasn't doing it to her but I think it is when my love for her broke. She looked so damned happy, and I still see that in my dreams. I remember the wind and I remember the cold, wet envelope me and then I remember nothing."

"I know that it happened a long time ago, and I know that I wasn't part of it, but I am sorry for what happened."

"That was the night the storm got worse and broke some of the locks and dams as the rain came down so hard it was impossible to see for two hours. The wind ripped trees up, tipped cars over if they were driving. It was the most damaging non-hurricane storm to ever hit Virginia, and it was centered the worst near my hometown. My parent's house was huge, and it sat on a tract of land that was massive and it was all woods. Father would let his friends hunt on the land when hunting was active. I wasn't allowed in the backyard then to play, and it was the only time I was allowed out front. Hidden though in the woods was a small area that was mine. I played there a lot and the groundskeeper that my parents hired built me a little shanty there. I loved it. It was warm when it was cold outside, and it was cool from the coverage when it was warm out. It was mine, and no one else ever entered it. Well outside of Tom. He made sure that it was cared for year round."

"He sounds like he was a good friend."

"He was. Right up until I sold the house, he was the only person I was close to. Anyway, after the wind and the wet and then I was waking up alone in my shanty. I tried to get up, but my back was hurting so badly. I couldn't move because of the pain. I felt water creeping in, and I still couldn't move, but it wasn't until I was older that I realized that it was that I didn't want to move. Yes, the pain was intense, but the water didn't go around my face. It just stayed there around me. The pain in my back lessened over time and I realized that the rain was falling on my back, keeping it cold despite the pain and angriness of the wounds. I laid there for a long time, just in pain. I don't know if the sun came up once, twice, three times. I don't know. The storm raged and raged outside, and it calmed me. It let me know that I was safe because it was still there."

"No one found you?"

"Tom did, three days later I am told. I don't remember the mornings or the settings of the suns. I just remember that as long as it was raining, I knew I was safe. I drank water when I needed it, turning my head and letting the rain fall into my mouth. I didn't eat anything, but then I didn't have the energy to move much less do anything else. Tom found me when the storm was still raging outside. He took me right to my bedroom, and the doctor was called in to deal with my back. The injuries were blamed on my running away and getting caught in the storm. At least, that's what I read of my file from my doctor when I turned eighteen and found a different doctor. The scars were minimal and have faded over time. My doctor didn't think that they ever would. I knew that they would though, I could feel it. I never told anyone. The storm was fading just like it had arrived, slowly until one morning I woke up feeling better than I had in a while and the sun was shining. I got to go outside and play as long as Tom could hose me off before I came inside. I barely saw my parents over the next few weeks as I got to stay at home with my Nanny and my mother did all of her normal things away from the house. I guess no one wanted to come around to the house where a child had attacked a nanny."

"Sounds like it was what you needed at the time." Spencer looked thoughtful as he said the words and Aaron was pretty sure that Spencer had figured it out. The whole reason why Aaron was talking about the storm.

"I think that I did need it. There was another smaller storm about three weeks after that one, but it was mainly high winds. It was classified as a Derecho and was only located in the few hundred mile radii around Virginia. Some areas were worse than others. The damage was not nearly as bad, but it took out power."

"What did your father do that caused you to create that storm?"

"His firm had hired the first Mutant for staff, and my father did not like that. He ranted and raved about Mutants for days before finally confronting me and telling me that if I ever were found out to be a Mutant, he would kill me. That he would not stand the Hotchner name being defaced like that for my freakiness. I knew that I was. It hadn't taken me long to put together the fact that the storm was from me, even at that age. I hated the damage I had done, but I had no control of the Derecho swept through in the aftermath of that night. Our woods were a mess, but Tom worked on cleaning them up quickly. I had stayed outside through that whole thing in my shanty. Tom found me and left me there when the storm had calmed down. I think that he knew about it. He had figured it out, and he kept his mouth shut. Mother was busy again for days putting in time as a woman who cared about the people around her as long as she didn't have to actually get her hands dirty. I talked my nanny into taking me to the library in town to figure out what I was. There were books on mutants everywhere, and the librarians thought it cute that I was intrigued. I didn't understand the whole book, I was four and wasn't reading like you were, but I knew some words, and I knew enough to find what I wanted. My mother made sure that I was reading on my own by three. She wanted that trophy child, remember. To show off to everyone. I could be perfect, and she would still find something at fault, usually something I couldn't help."

Aaron stood up because he couldn't take sitting down anymore. He watched the cars passing by the house. Then a car pulled into the driveway. Aaron watched as the usual delivery guy got out of the car. He looked at the table that was between the chairs because he could not remember if there was anything on it or not. There were only their coffee cups. Spencer picked up his and sipped it as the delivery guy got to the door and knocked.

"Are we expecting someone?" Spencer asked, and he turned to look and saw the car but didn't know it. Spencer hadn't learned the delivery guys for the places they ate from a lot yet for the house.

"Food. Neither of us is going to want to cook, and I was getting hungry." Aaron walked passed by Spencer and dropped a kiss on top of his head as he made his way to the door to get the food. Aaron gave over the money and made a minute of small talk before shutting the door. Spencer had the table moved to where it was better centered between. There was also a bottle of water each on the table. Aaron set out the appetizers that he got. Spencer grabbed a spring roll and started to munch on it. Aaron handed over the fork that was in the bag and grabbed the chopsticks for himself. He dug around and found the spicy dipping sauce that he liked for the spring rolls and opened it.

"So I spent a lot of time at the library, forcing myself to learn what I could. I had a dictionary to help me with words that I didn't understand, and the librarian helped with the ones that the dictionary didn't help me learn. I narrowed down what I was to a few things, but I knew that I was a Mutant. I kept that quiet. My nanny assumed that I had looked it up to figure out that my father had been bitching about. I was scared, but one of the librarians was a Mutant. She didn't tell just anyone, but she told me. She got me books on it, and I paid her back by helping her with things as I figured out that she lived near me. I would go and help her clean her yard and do a lot of different things. I spent a lot of time with her right up until my parents put me into boarding school when Sean went into pre-school."

"That had to suck," Spencer said as he started onto his main entree after finishing off his half of the appetizers. He hummed in happiness at the shrimp Pad Thai that Aaron had gotten for him, slightly spicy. Aaron was kind of glad that Spencer liked spicy things because Aaron did as well. It was finding out things like that which made Aaron glad that he had started this. Spencer didn't eat them when they were on cases just in case slightly spicy was not, and he had issues. Aaron could understand that, and he did the same.

"Not really. The Boarding School was one of the best and with that came a lot of reputation. With that reputation came the fact that the people there actually cared about us. The Hotchners were not the only ones that didn't ever want a child that was a Mutant. Yet, the school thought that it was best to teach us how to use our abilities instead of just hiding them. The school never told any parents about the kid. Orientation, I was scared as hell as it was the furthest I had been from Mother and Father and I was afraid that Father would start to beat Sean, but he never did. Sean was the good kid. During orientation, the Headmaster stood up there and said that it didn't matter what anyone was Mutant or Human that everyone was there to learn if there was anyone who didn't want to learn with a Mutant, there was a spot reserved for them at the other school in the area. Mutant kids were shipped to mine when the manifested. It was a haven for me. I was allowed to become myself, allowed to learn my abilities but as with most Storm Lords, its instinct. We know what we need to do so it was teaching me to control my emotions."

"That's a good school."

"Just like the fight with those who are not straight, many families killed children who manifested, so the boarding school started to do something about it. Some of the kids that were unable to hide that they were Mutants were saved before they even went home. The school did their best to take care of all of their students and to be the best they could. They are the only reason I was not dead or worse someone who is on the other side of the law."

"I wonder what could have happened to me if I was in a place like that instead of public school. Mom and Dad did well in their jobs but not well enough to get me a private education."

"It's best not to think about it. Then you'll start to realize what would be different and that hurts. I've had that thought as well."

"I was pushed into getting a lot of degrees. The school bent a few rules, but I did the work," Spencer said as he started to poke at his food. Aaron had eaten most of his and was full. Spencer had not eaten even half of his. Aaron wasn't going to push though as the topic they had been discussing had been hard.

"I know. There was a very frank assessment of your schooling in your hiring file. I always made sure not to push you on anything except the things you did need to learn. I made sure that Morgan knew that as well. Even if your Mutant abilities had been what they thought, you shouldn't have gotten that many degrees in that short of time. It was not a wonder where your lacking social skills came from." Aaron leaned back after closing the lid on his food. He gave Spencer a smile. "Though I am not sure that the team did a good job on socializing you."

"Yes, Morgan said that I picked up the best of the worst of the social skills of each team member. I'm not worried. I already have a damned good job, and I snagged myself a wonderful specimen of a male as a mate."

Aaron laughed and shook his head. He picked up a bottle of water and opened it before tipping his head back to drain it in one long drink. Spencer stuck his tongue out at Aaron when he was done drinking. Spencer's water was half gone while his coffee was all the way gone. He and Aaron started to clean up the food and Aaron took the leftovers as well as the extra meal Aaron had ordered and stuck them into the fridge while Spencer cleaned up the cups and made more coffee.

Walking up behind him, Aaron wrapped his arms around Spencer's stomach and pulled him close, he hooked his chin over Spencer's shoulder to watch as he put grounds into the basket before closing it and adding water. Aaron pulled Spencer back a few steps and smiled as he started to dance them around the kitchen. Spencer laughed and laid his hands over Aaron's on his stomach. They moved like together on the kitchen floor as the coffee brewed.

"I've never told anyone all of that. Jake knows some and the FBI knows some but the FBI does not know about me causing those storms. Thankfully no lives were lost during either. Well, there were some, but they were the ones who refused to leave when help came to get them. I learned long ago to let those deaths go and not let the guilt get to me."

"Still you were a child who did not understand before that moment. When you learned that it was you, you became better you. You are the best you that you can be Aaron Hotchner and I'm in love with that man. I love who you are and I can't see myself loving you anymore if you were different." Spencer pressed his cheek into Aaron's and sighed in happiness. Aaron tightened his arms around Spencer's stomach and kept them dancing in the room. Aaron didn't care if the whole world saw them, this was kind of perfect moment that Aaron wanted many more of for the rest of his life.

By the time that Jake got home from work, Aaron and Spencer were cuddling on the couch and watching TV. Jake never asked, and Aaron never told about what had changed to make Aaron that much more calmer around Spencer but days later they were outside, and Aaron was working on the garden and called up a small localized rainstorm in the backyard to water the plants. Jake laughed, and Spencer played in the rain. Spencer looked so happy just dancing around in the rain that Aaron had to join him and Jake followed after.


	14. Chapter 13

# Chapter 13

## Middle September 2009

Spencer laid his head back on the lounge chair he was sitting on and forced his body to relax. The sun was shining bright, and he was in California to give a short speech on Dissociative Identity Disorder people to law enforcement personnel from the country over. Spencer knew that it would go in one ear and out the other of some of the officers, but if even one listened to him and tried, it would help someone out there. Spencer had come out alone as he had for lectures of this type for the past few years.

Every year was a different breed of psychological issues that perplexed law enforcement. Never before had Spencer had issues while giving his lectures, even with the one the years before being a week long. Spencer had slept like shit the night before he blamed Aaron for that. Spencer had not been in the mindset of a case, so sleeping alone in a bed was weird. Spencer wasn't sure that he liked that.

"Hello," a voice said.

Spencer opened his eyes and looked up, the sun was right behind the person who was standing above him. Given the voice and the physique, the person was male. Even though Spencer could not see him because of the sun that was right in his eyes, Spencer could feel the man's gaze moving up and down his body. Spencer felt like grabbing the robe he had brought down with him to wrap up after he swam so that he could cover his body from the man's gaze.

"Hello," Spencer said.

"I wonder if you would like to join me for a swim."

"Sorry, I'm relaxing right now, and I would like to be alone to do it." Spencer darted his eyes down to his messenger bag. That had his gun in a slim case inside of it. Not the best but it was impossible to wear it while swimming. The case had been a gift from Aaron before he came out to California for the lecture. Spencer liked it as it allowed him to safely carry his gun when he didn't want it on his hip. Inside was also his credentials and badge.

"No one who comes out here in a purple suit to sun themselves wants to be alone," the man said as he sat down on the lounge chair beside Spencer. Spencer reached over and grabbed his bag up before the man could move it to get closer to Spencer. Spencer was going to have to tell Aaron about this. He wasn't sure if Jake and Aaron were going to get upset or laugh.

"I don't know that I like you telling me what I am doing out here. I mean you don't know me from Adam."

"But I want to get to know you."

"You want to get to know me yet you insult me by telling me that I don't know what I want. Doesn't sound like you want to get to know me, it sounds like you want to get to know my ass and my cock. Though I would never let a man like you near my ass or my cock. You look stingy."

"Look here you little fucking twink."

"Sorry but I don't actually fit the definition of what a twink is. It was derived from the word twinkie and means that while I look good, my head is filled with air and I can barely string two words together to make a sentence. I assure that I'm no fucking twink. I hold more Ph.D.s than you do decades alive."

The man looked at Spencer with a bit of shock on his face, and his hand reached out for Spencer who slapped it away and pulled out his credentials. He left the gun in the bag for the moment.

"I would not do that, Sir. Laying your hands on a Federal Agent with intent to harm is a grave offense." Spencer flashed his badge followed by his credentials at the man. When the man looked at Spencer's picture and then him, he got up and left without another word.

"Doctor Reid. Sir, are you okay?" one of the pool attendants asked as he came rushing over. Spencer knew that he had been on break and someone had probably gone to get him. One of the other attendants probably as this man had been dealing with Spencer since he arrived.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just not used to dealing with men who won't take no for an answer. I've fielded advances from women like that but not another man." Spencer looked at the male and saw that he finally found his ID tag. Marcus was his name.

"Let me get you another drink," Marcus said as he picked up Spencer's virgin Pina Colada.

"Peach this time. I think I want to try peach." Spencer settled back, slipping his credentials back into his bag. He closed his eyes again and really hoped that the display that was just made kept everyone from bothering him. Marcus came back with the drink and said nothing as he set it down. Spencer sipped at it while he took in the sun.

Spencer knew what he looked like. Especially with the growing muscle on his body. He was a gay man's wet dream if they liked lithe men, but that did not excuse someone not taking no for an answer. Spencer had never stayed at a hotel like this one. It had been Aaron's insistence. The FBI was willing to pay for the kind of place that Spencer would stay at while on a case, but Aaron and Jake had talked Spencer into a nicer place. It was also close to the center where Spencer's was lecturing so Spencer could walk to and from.

The ringing of Spencer's work phone had him groaning. This was his last day in California, and he had nothing to do except wait for his flight out later in the day. Of course, something was going to come up.

"Reid," Spencer said as he answered the phone without looking at the caller ID.

"Sorry to ruin your day of rest, Spence. We have four dead in Vegas and Hotch wants you to work on it with us. We are wheels up in an hour due to fog. Garcia has already swapped your return home ticket for a flight to Vegas. You'll land before us. Hotch said that you took a tablet with you?"

"Yes."

"He gave Garcia the IP address and the files will be downloaded as soon as you connect it to Wi-Fi. I know it's not paper, but you can at least look at them while you are flying."

"This hotel is pretty damned nice. I bet they will let me print them out. I'll see. Will I be first on the ground?"

"Yes. I'm going to text you the address of the station house you are going to. I've already let them know to expect one team member first as they were being pulled from a vacation to go out."

"Thank, JJ. I'll see you when I see you." Spencer hung up and looked at his Peach Daiquiri. He downed it and was glad that he had chosen not to drink alcohol. Spencer dug in his messenger bag for his personal cell phone and texted Jake that he didn't need to be picked up from the airport. Spencer dropped his phone back in and pulled out the tablet. He connected it to the secure network that the hotel had for guests who needed it, Spencer had got the code to access it to work on the paper for his lecture. Spencer found the case file and started to download it. He cleaned up the area of his things, slipping his robe on.

"I'll take care of your drink, Doctor Reid," Marcus said as he walked up to Spencer to take the glass. Spencer handed it over.

"Thank you. Who is the head concierge on duty right now?"

"Lea, Sir. I'll radio and tell her to expect you. Good luck with the case, Sir." Marcus gave Spencer a smile before walking to the area where the pool attendants were stationed.

Spencer tightened the robe around his body and headed inside. His sun-warmed skin was cooled by the air-conditioned air inside. He aimed right for the desk and found the lady with the name tag of Lea.

"Doctor Reid, how can I help you?"

"I got called into work, and I need to print a file before heading to the airport to catch a flight."

"We have an office you can use, and it has a wireless printer. I'll show it to you and then send a porter up to get your things. You can get dressed while the files are printing. I'll make sure no one goes into the room."

Lea showed Spencer to the office, and within a few minutes, he was going to his room with the porter behind him. Spencer hadn't set things out too much, and it wouldn't take long to get dressed. His clothes for the day were already laid out, and all he needed to do was pack up his toiletries from the bathroom. He handed everything over to the porter and then started to get dressed. He folded up his swimming trunks and put them into his messenger bag. Spencer looked at himself in the mirror. He was getting on a plane to fly to Vegas, but still, Spencer wanted to attempt to look good.

When Spencer entered the office after Lea unlocked it again for him. He found that the printer was finished. He checked the paper level to make sure that it had not run out and then started to sort the files. He stapled what needed to be stapled and then shoved them into a folder before sticking that into his messenger bag. Lea was waiting for him with a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Marcus told me that you like the caramel lattes. I figured that one to go would be a good thing. The car that's taking you to the airport has arrived, and your things are loaded into the trunk."

Spencer eyed Lea.

"We had a serial thief that was hitting us as well as a few other hotels. The FBI helped us catch them and helped us up our security to make it harder. While you are not the same unit, still we try and be nice to the FBI that are staying here for any reason."

"Well thank you. I have greatly enjoyed my stay and am really upset that I don't get to spend the afternoon swimming in the pool. Thank you for everything that you've done to help me."

Spencer shook Lea's hand and then turned to leave. He needed to get to the airport. Spencer found the porter who had taken his things standing by a town car instead of a regular taxi and that made him wonder at exactly how much this hotel stay was going to cost him. Aaron had been the one to book it and such. Though there was every single chance that Aaron had paid for it himself. Spencer wasn't going to ask. It would show up on his credit card or it wouldn't. Spencer had learned that Aaron didn't look at money the same way that everyone else did. Aaron saw it as a way to lessen stress b doing things himself.

The drive to the airport did not take long at all, which Spencer was thankful of. He didn't want to get into the file until he was on the plane because he would get lost in the information and miss things going on around him. Spencer found that Garcia had pre-checked him in as well as checking his gun. Spencer only had to hand over his messenger bag and have them check his carrying case for his gun. It wasn't the standard procedure as the BAU almost never traveled anymore on commercial flights, but Spencer had taken the needed requirements anyway. Once on the plane, he would hand it over to a steward or stewardess to secure it until such a time that he needed it. Which was also good for the case as he could be the only one to actually get into the case.

Spencer had precious minutes to spare after getting released to board the plane to actually board the plane. He had made sure on the ride over that his tablet was in offline mode but he could still access the case file. While it was not standard issue for Spencer, it was one that Aaron had for his job that he loaded to Spencer for the lecture.

The seat that Spencer was directed to was an aisle seat in the business class section, and it allowed Spencer to have a little more room to spread out. Especially as it seemed that the seat beside him was empty. Spencer wondered if Garcia had done that or it was a simple fortuitous happenstance.

When the plane was in the air and Spencer was allowed to set his things out, he grabbed the case file and the notepad to mark down things that he wanted to bring up to Aaron. Spencer looked at the first photo of the first victim. Female, Spencer could tell, and it was about the only thing that he could tell from the photo. Her body looked like it had been tossed from a moving train it had been beaten so bad. If it weren't for the naked breasts, Spencer wouldn't even be able to tell that it was a woman. Spencer looked at every single photo. Two females and two males. Spencer wrote down his observations on the bodies, the placement especially as he could tell they were dumped. There was no care with the bodies which meant there was no remorse. Every single face was obliterated beyond recognition. Spencer found the file for the first body and found that an ID had been made. In fact, it looked like all of them had been identified.

"Alexa Stewart found first," Spence said aloud before he flipped to the next page. The second body was Steven Stewart, husband to Alexa. Found two days apart. The name Steven Stewart had Spencer's skin starting to sweat. He flipped to the second male and found that it was Cal Graham and the second female was Harper Graham, wife to Cal. Spencer searched Harper's page and found her maiden name. Hillman. On Alexa's, it listed hers as well. Lisbon. Spencer swallowed and shut the file. He looked at the time and realized that he had spent nearly an hour on the pictures of the crime scenes. He cleaned up the files and prepared to land. He would have to call Aaron as soon as possible because he already had a pretty good idea who was going to be blamed for this and thankfully, he had an airtight alibi for all four murders. Spencer's eyes glanced over Cal's paperwork. He worked at the station as a detective. The other cops were going to be baying for blood.

* * *

Spencer had been unable to get a hold of Aaron before the team landed. There was an issue with the service on the plane, so Spencer had not gone to the station house but instead had taken over the SUVs that were allowed for their use and had waited at the airport for the arrival of his team. Aaron was the first off, and he looked shocked to see Spencer.

"Reid, you should be at the station," Aaron said as the rest of the team got off.

"Yes, I know, but there is something that needs to be taken care of before I enter that station and I couldn't get you on the phone."

"And that is?" Aaron asked.

"Those four people who are dead so far. If we go to their friends, names are going to be said of those who hated them in school."

"Garcia already pulled their school records. There is nothing," Prentiss said.

"Morgan, what were the maiden names of the women?" Spencer asked.

"I don't remember off the top of my head." Morgan acted like he was going to grab the file that was on top of his go-bag.

"Alexa Lisbon and Harper Hillman, and their high school boyfriends turned husbands."

"Shit," Morgan said.

"What am I missing?" Rossi asked.

"Those four made Spencer's life a living hell in high school. He's going to be suspect number one."

"Okay, JJ get ahold of Garcia, get that information and have her fax it over as soon as possible. You made the right choice in not going there. Do you know if any of the other officers on staff are from your grade?"

"Not off hand. I have no list. I saw that Cal was an officer. They are not going to like this."

"No. JJ have Garcia text Reid a list. Reid, you are not to be alone at all. Ever. You go to the bathroom, you take one of us."

"I can stay at a hotel and work the case like I'm based in Quantico. We don't have to have me in their faces."

"No, we do. We have already discussed that this is personal. You are going to be the best to figure out who else they bullied because there is a slim chance that it's not someone they bullied. There was no sexual assault pre- or post-mortem, so we are unsure of the sex of the UnSub."

"I'll read through the files better. I was looking at the photos of the crime scenes and going off of that for the flight. I was getting ready for landing when I got to the actual files on the victims."

"We lost all ability to talk to Garcia on the jet going to have its wiring looked at. Radio still worked, so pilots had contact. All else fails we all take a civilian flight home." Aaron didn't look happy about it, but it was all that they could do.

"Or we can stay in Vegas," Prentiss offered.

Aaron gave her a smile, and then his face turned serious. "Morgan, take Prentiss with you to the Morgue. As much as I would like to shield Reid from what is to come if we hide him it will be worse in the long run. If Reid thinks he needs to see the bodies later, we can do that. Talk to the ME and get what you can."

"Gotcha." Morgan laid a hand on Spencer's shoulder and gave him a smile before he and Prentiss walked to the second SUV.

"Let's go," Aaron said.

The drive from the airport to the station house was quiet. Spencer usually didn't like to have silence like that, but there wasn't much that could be said. It was what it was. The BAU team arrived and entered the station. Spencer left his standard box of files supplies in the SUV, he hadn't even seen JJ set them into it.

"We have his school records, there is nothing on there that suggests that he is the person who did this Morales, and from what we are able to find out he doesn't even live in this area anymore," someone said as the doors shut behind the team.

"Look, he was a freak, and the four victims had an issue with him," Morales said.

"So it has nothing to do with the fact that those four are the reason that he was stripped naked at the age of twelve and tied to a goal post for the whole of the football team to mock?" one of the women officers said.

"What?" the first person said.

Spencer finally got a good look at the person and realized that it was the Chief.

"That was nothing. It was a prank," Morales said.

"Technically it could have been seen as sexual abuse if the right lawyer got a hold of it. Some of the people who watched me being stripped naked were adults," Spencer said as he stepped from where he was behind Aaron and to the left.

The whole of the crowd inside of the station house turned to look at him. Spencer recognized the female officer as a lady who had been named Stacy Treat. She had been mocked as well and just kept her head down when it happened to others, and Spencer could understand that. Morales was David Morales who had been on the football team.

"Come to turn yourself in?" Morales asked. He looked smug. Smug like he had all the time in high school when making fun of Spencer.

"Actually, no. I'm here to catch the UnSub who killed them. Supervisory Spencer Agent Doctor Spencer Reid of the BAU. Within the hour the confirmed whereabouts of where I have been since the killings have started will be faxed over. As soon as I saw the names for the victims, I made sure that I would be removed from the suspect list as soon as possible."

"Like we are going to believe that," Morales said.

"Okay, Morales, take a walk. Clear your head because you just accused an FBI agent of murder without anything more than a prejudice from your teenagers years. I would love to hear in detail what a twelve-year-old kid ever did to you. This is also going to call into question your next promotion as well as any after it. I will not have someone like you working for my force. Letting other people think that bullies who grow up can become police officers and spread that shit around. Go."

Morales looked like he was going to say something but he shut his mouth and stormed off. The Chief turned to look at the rest of the force that was in the station house.

"Does anyone else have an issue with Doctor Reid?" He asked. No one raised their hands. No one said a word. "Good. Now I gave your guys your duties for the day. Go." The Chief turned to the team. He stepped up and offered his hand for shaking to Spencer. Spencer shook it. "Welcome home to Vegas, Doctor Reid. Please introduce me to your team."

"Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner, SSAs David Rossi, and JJ Jareau. Two of our other agents SSAs Derek Morgan and Emily Prentiss went to the ME's office."

"Welcome. I wish it were under better circumstances all around," the Chief looked at Spencer as he said that. "Whenever you need, we will get you."

"My team is capable, but I refuse to let any of them get hurt. Doctor Reid will not leave the side of one of the team members the entire time that he is here."

"I understand. I would agree. Morales is a hot head, but this is the first that I have heard of him taking part in that stupid thing that the football team does. I agree Doctor Reid that if things had been brought to light a lot sooner, some of the kids who did it would have been branded as child predators. You were the youngest but not the only one that had it happen. A Freshman girl was left out like that one day, and she gave herself a heart attack and died. It would have been about four years after you graduated if you were in the class with Morales. I was part of the detective team who investigated that. I was sick for weeks afterward and hated reliving it at trial time. I was not able to get justice for the kids who were no longer in the school, but I got as much as I could for the kids I could go after."

"That's all any of us could ask. I have not had a chance to go over the files that in-depth. So if you could point me in the direction of the room set aside for us to use."

"The conference room is this way, Doctor Reid," Treat said.

"It's okay, Stacy, you can call me Spencer or Reid, whichever you are more comfortable with. We tend to go with the last names, but I didn't want to call you by the wrong one."

"It's still Treat, Reid. Engaged but not married, not yet." Treat looked a little unsure about that as she said it and she looked at the Chief. The Chief smiled at her. Spencer wondered what that was about but didn't think much on it as Treat led him to an office. Spencer looked back at Aaron and nodded at him before entering it. He would be in sight of Aaron for as long as it took for Aaron to talk to the Chief and then either Rossi would go out, or Aaron would go with him, and Spencer would be alone with JJ.

Spencer started to set up the office, and the maps that were standard for JJ to ask for were already set up. Spencer had the maps pinned up and opened up the files to start to mark the dump sites. There were a few pins in the tray of the corkboard in the room so Spencer could swap them out later.

"Here, Spence," JJ said as she entered the room with the box of things. Spencer gave her a smile and dug into it after she set it down. He found his pins for the board and started to use those instead.

Spencer lost himself in the geographic profile, looking at the files to determine work and home locations. Spencer was not shocked that the couple lived next door. Alexa and Harper would have probably wanted no less. Everything in the file said that they were still thick as thieves.

"Reid," Aaron said as he entered the room. Spencer looked up to see that Aaron was there with a box in his hand. It took Spencer a second to recognize that it was from the sandwich shop that he liked when he lived in Vegas. He always stopped and got food from there when he came to visit his mom. Spencer gave Aaron a smile and held out his hand.

Spencer was seated on the top of the table with files spread all around him. Treat was in the corner on a couch looking over statements taken from various friends and family of the two dead couples. Aaron handed over a box to her. Aaron sat down at the table and moved over enough of Spencer's files to be able to eat.

"The rest of the team is checking out dump and abduction sites. What do you have?" Aaron pointed at the board.

"Not a lot. They were abducted from nowhere near the same place with no cameras so whoever did it knew that they would be there. Even with the second couple being on guard, they were still taken at the same time. There is too long of a time between abduction and death so if anything was used to knock them out it was a long out of their systems. The ME is still going to run panels. So other than the sheer violence, we have nothing that tells that this isn't a group or a pair."

"That's the conclusion the team, and I came to on the way here as well. We can't rule anything out. Treat for right now you are assigned to help my team, that means I want you with Reid. I want the two of you to brainstorm today for other victims of abuse at the hands of the four victims as well as others like Morales that could be targeted. We can't narrow it down to couples who were bullies so let's stay broad and focus on everyone. Garcia will do searches for you to locate targets and prospective UnSubs."

"You got it. I assume that Treat is my standard go to when I am here in the room?"

"Yes. JJ and I are heading to give a press conference. I don't want to wait until the others are back. You are both armed officers, use it if needed. The Chief is in his office going through tipline information. Once you two have a list for Garcia, Reid I wanted you reading through tips as well."

"I read faster than normal as well, Agent Hotchner. I'll help Reid go through them."

"Good." Aaron started to actually eat his food. Spencer brought up the hockey game they had watched the night before.

"We watched that game as well, my fiance and I," Treat said.

"I remember Stella from school. She loved hockey." Spencer remembered talking to Stella a lot about hockey. She as one of the few female athletes that didn't hate Spencer because he was different. She stopped a lot of the bullying, but sometimes that made her a target as well. Spencer remembered that she got called names. He picked up his tablet and wrote down her name as a potential UnSub. He didn't like adding it on there, but he had to.

"Stella still loves hockey, and if you added her name to the list of UnSubs, well I'm her alibi, and she was out of town for the first set. She was in New York."

"I see," Spencer said, and he marked that down as well; it wouldn't hurt Garcia to check. "Congrats. You two were always close."

"Closer than the whole school thought. Jimmy was her beard. No one thought it odd for Jimmy's lightly younger sister to hang out with his girlfriend. It helped both of us fly under the radar."

Spencer agreed that he had never thought about them as a couple instead of Stella and Jimmy. Spencer though had not gone through puberty fully yet, so those thoughts were generally rare. "And your whereabouts?"

"For the first murders with Stella in New York. We were visiting her parents. The second I was at home with her. We had a small party. I got the call to come into work in the middle of it."

"If we need names are you willing to give them?"

"As long as your team is the one doing the interviews? Yes. This station house is being cleaned up the Chief has been in place for about a year. This area is an up and coming LGBTQ area and the force that responds need to be open to that instead of like Morales. The Chief needed something to use on him and this case, well this might be the one that sticks the fork in Morales career. He's a damned good cop when the crime involves straight white people. Anything other than that and the investigation doesn't get done right, or the suspect is condemned before more information is found. His standard partner reigns him in, but he's been on medical leave after a suspect shoved him off a roof. He only injured his arm, but it was shattered. He'll be back in about a month on desk duty. Until I've been paired with him."

"I assume that he does not know your partner is female?" Aaron asked.

"No one but the Chief does."

Spencer tuned the two of them out and frowned down at the list he was starting. He didn't want to bring out all of those memories that he had buried in the recesses of his mind, but he had to. Even though the victims were not the ones that he would have thought they were, they were dead, and they needed justice.

* * *

Spencer yawned. A night of broken sleep as the bed in his and Aaron's room was bumpy, and Spencer was finding it hard to keep his eyes open. The coffee pot in the hotel room was not working, and Aaron promised him good coffee but had not come back yet with said coffee.

"He's a mutant with teleportation powers, Chief. He is the one that did it, and I know it!" Morales yelled.

Spencer knew that that discussion was about him. He looked to see Morgan in the bullpen, and so he stepped up to the conference room door and opened it. Morales spun and tossed papers at him. Spencer caught them and looked at them. The top was an article about a teleporter who had been rumored to be in the FBI and then an article about him. Spencer had not seen either of them and while the first had a good bit of info on him without his name, the second was mostly shit.

"Doctor Reid?"

"My limitation on teleportation is a mile. I can go a mile and then I have to rest for at least fifteen minutes. There are two thousand, four hundred, and six miles between DC and Vegas. Even if I pushed it to ten minutes, that twenty-four thousand minutes and that is four hundred hours. Seventeen days to get across this country. Don't you think that someone would have noticed me being gone for over thirty days? My teleportation is new and still being tested, but the FBI did not release me to work again until it was fully tested. When I started, I had to rest an hour before I could teleport again. In times of extreme stress I can go further, but then it takes longer to be able to do it again. So Morales, how do you explain that? Even for the second set of murders, I was in LA. That's two hundred and seventy miles, two thousand and seven hundred minutes or forty-five hours. Again, I can be tracked during those times."

Morales growled and charged at Spencer. Spencer just stood his ground and phased himself out so that Morales ran right through him and crash into the wall right beside the door. A few people laughed as Spencer turned around.

"That's my other Mutant ability. So think next time before you decide to tackle a Federal Agent."

"Doctor Reid, will you press charges?" The Chief asked as he stepped up to take control of Morales. There was a pleading in the Chief's eyes, and Spencer nodded his head. "Good. I'll start the paperwork on my end. Morales, you are going to the drunk tank."

"And you thought that me charging at you would never be helpful," Morgan said with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes. Spencer rolled his eyes at Morgan but smiled at him as he pulled himself back together. The Chief came back to the room a few minutes later, and he looked at Spencer.

"Are you okay, Doctor Reid?"

"I'm fine. You did get the faxed copy of where I was at all times right?"

"Yes, and thank you for that. I saw that one of them was while working a case. That means that it would be near impossible for you to slip away for an hour, much less a longer period of time. It's nice though that you offered that up first."

"We help with cases and don't hinder them, we also don't take over unless we find that the team's working it is incapable due to bias. It's rare, and we always do it through the proper channels. So far no other member of this station has given us a reason to question what their dedication to the job."

"I'm calling the Captain of the area, and he's going to deal with Morales."

"Reid," Aaron said as he entered the doors. Behind him was two males and two females being escorted in by Rossi, Prentiss, and two other LEOs. Even though it had been over a decade, Spencer knew those faces. They were on Spencer's list as the most likely of the suspects to be their UnSubs. Especially when Spencer had found that the youngest, who had still been older than Spencer, had a history of animal torture, even before he had been bullied in high school.

"Damn," Treat said.

"Yeah," Spencer said, and he followed Aaron back to where the four of them were put into different interrogation rooms. Spencer watched as Arthur jerked against the chains holding him to the table. Spencer felt Treat behind him as well as Mogan. He looked back at his friend.

"We found them with the next targets. Taken off the streets about an hour ago. They were showing them videos they had recorded of the torture inflicted on the first victims. There was also a screen with animal torture on it. I assume that it was what was used on the first victims to scare them. We need a confession from one of them."

"You got it."

Aaron stepped up to Spencer and handed over something. Spencer frowned as he took it until he realized that it was his glasses case and contact lens case from his messenger bag. He always carried both just to be safe after a case had his contact falling out and he was blind until someone had been able to stop by the hotel and get his glasses. Spencer wondered precisely what Aaron was going for, but he trusted that Aaron knew what he was doing. Spencer took out his contacts and put them into the lens case before opening the glasses case and putting them on. Aaron reached out and made his tie crooked and even ruffled his hair some. Spencer glared at that because he had taken his time with his hair that morning as it had been a rat's nest. Aaron gave him a smile.

"Now you look like an absent minded professor."

"So Doctor Reid?"

"Yes, and take Treat with you."

Spencer nodded and looked at Treat. She took off her gun and handed it to Aaron and Spencer did the same removing the whole holster. After a few seconds, Treat did the same. Aaron added both to his belt. The thought of Aaron with four guns should not be as hot as it was. Spencer walked back to the conference room and grabbed a few files, all of the ones that he had the photos of the dump sights as well as the bodies in. He grabbed a few others as well as two notepads. Spencer piled them all on top of each other as well as three different colored pens. He pushed his glasses up on his nose and knew precisely why Aaron had chosen the glasses. Spencer rushed back to the interrogation room where Arthur was, and he opened the door.

Aaron was waiting at the doorway with two earpieces in his hand. He handed one to Treat before placing Spencer's into his ear before smoothing the hair back over the ear. Spencer waved for Treat to enter and he watched as Arthur sat up straighter at the table when she did. Spencer gave her a smile as he sat down and then focused on Arthur.

"You are Arthur Smith yes?" Spencer asked as he opened a file that had scrap paper in it and looked down at it before closing it and slipping it to the bottom of the pile. He looked at Arthur.

"Yes," Arthur said.

"Good. Good. Now I'm here to take your confession."

"Confession? I'm not going to confess, and I am not going to do it to you."

"Oh, why?" Spencer asked.

Arthur huffed and looked at Treat. "Do you see how stupid they are? They send the FBI in to deal with this, and they send him. He's a fucking pencil pusher. He isn't going to understand anything, much less be able to pin any of this on me."

"You think that they sent us in here because they want a confession? They are offering the deals to the others to fuck you," Treat said.

Spencer watched Arthur's face as she said it and Spencer realized that Arthur didn't know who they were. Spencer kept his snort of derision to himself. It wasn't that shocking that Arthur didn't know him. Arthur and his crowd were the oddballs and not because of intelligence like Spencer and Treat. No, they were oddballs because they wanted to be. They were on the fringe and had liked it, so because they were different because they were strange, the jocks and the like bullied them. Spencer didn't like it, and he downright hated it, but there was nothing that he could do about it, especially when Arthur had never stepped up for anyone else that was bullied.

"What kind of deals?"

"I don't know," Spencer said, and he started to flip through the folders. They slid across the table and images fell out. Alexa Lisbon's naked and broken body was the image that was most visible. Spencer watched Arthur's eyes dilate as he took in the image. His hands reached across to try and make the image more visible, but his hands stopped short. Treat's face was a mask and Spencer was glad. Spencer acted like he might have found the file that he wanted and released the second file and Harper Hillman's broken body became visible. Spencer let the whole of that image slip out. Arthur's breathing became deep.

"Can I see more?"

"Depends on what you have to say about it? What do you think happened here?" Spencer scooted the image to just out of Arthur's reach. His fingers tried to eke out that bit of distance to get a hold of the image but he couldn't.

"It looks like that hurt a lot. Was the face done before or after death?"

"The beating of the face was the killing blows." Spencer wasn't sure if he was asking because he wanted to hear Spencer say it or Arthur didn't know. Given the violence to the body, Spencer was pretty sure that cause of death would have been hard for them to narrow down. There was not a lot of damage done to the body post-mortem so when the screams stopped, so did the violence.

"She looks like she might have been beautiful ones. Before her hatred turned her ugly, now the outside matches the inside. The only way that someone could have made her more ugly was to show her the pain she caused before she died. If someone could have done that it would have broken her heart."

"Are you sure she's ugly?" Spencer asked.

"Yes, she's very ugly. Or she was. Before this. Now she's beautiful. Don't you see the way that pain twisted her body? Her fingers are broken, not from the people who did this to her but because she tried so hard to stop it that she caused herself pain." Arthur's fingers kept on trying to get the image so Spencer scooted it just close enough to where he could. He pulled it back to him, and his fingers traced the lines of the body. "She was so beautiful as the knives cut her. As she screamed for her piece of shit husband. She begged him to help her but he couldn't. He was tied up at the time. She died before I was done with her and so I took it out on the husband. I made him beg to die. Before I kicked his face in."

Spencer didn't say anything, but he did slip the image of Cal out. Arthur hissed and shoved it away. He focused on Alexa and then Harper when Spencer gave over both images that were close-ups of the torsos of the bodies. Arthur's fingers traced the photos like someone would a priceless painting. Spencer's stomach was rolling, but he kept his face blank. They had enough of a confession at the moment, but anything more would be a big help.

"They were scared of taking the little whores, but I wasn't. I have perfected the way of taking down large animals, and it was no different with them. I thought for a long time that the scream of animals was enough. To hear their inane chatter, the screeches, the screams of pain but after the first human, I could never go back. It wasn't hard to get the other into it, just bitched and bitched about how they all had it good." Arthur looked up at Spencer then. "You'll love hearing the tapes of it."

The door opened behind Spencer and Arthur looked up, and he looked shocked. Spencer glanced to the side to see it was Aaron.

"Actually, Agent Reid and I won't be watching the tapes. Though the jury I'm sure would be glad if you took the deal that is being offered. As it stands if you don't, you are getting the needle."

Arthur looked at Aaron and then looked at Spencer. It was like he was seeing Spencer for the first time.

"Reid?" Arthur asked.

"Yes," Spencer said back.

"I knew a Reid once. Geeky kid who was too smart for his own good. Didn't learn how to not let the bullies get to him. I watched him get tied up once. Laughed as I walked away."

"It's good to know that you didn't care about a twelve-year-old kid being strung up like a scarecrow."

"Never said he was twelve," Arthur said.

"No, you didn't. I was that kid," Spencer said as he stood up and gathered up his files. Aaron was holding the door open for both of them. Spencer held onto his food, but as Treat ran for the bathroom, Spencer was pretty sure that she had not. Aaron grabbed Spencer's arm as he tried to follow her and instead Prentiss and JJ did. The hall emptied, and Aaron pulled Spencer into the men's bathroom and shut the door.

"Are you okay?"

"No, but I will be. I just-" Spencer sighed. "I remember him freaking me out in high school. I was still nice to him because I was nice to everyone."

"You always are, and I love that about you. We can take the day tomorrow. It'll be easy to get paperwork done on the flight home if the jet is working and then just not go in. I'm sure that Strauss will not mind. Given how close to come this hits. Maybe a team potluck lunch at the house? Jake's off tomorrow. We can talk him into cooking our things and just stay in bed all morning."

Aaron was grinning at Spencer that said he meant what he was saying but he knew that Spencer would never agree to it.

"We can help some. After he cooks breakfast. He makes the best breakfast." Spencer stepped forward to allow Aaron to wrap his arms around him. It was as much comfort as he was going to get until they were on the jet home. Aaron held him tight as he just breathed to help wash away the images in his head of what had happened to people that he hated. He hated the violence done to them because they were human, even if they had never treated him like he was human.


	15. Chapter 14

# Chapter 14

## Early October 2009

Aaron woke up and stretched his hand across the bed. It was rare for Spencer to not be touching him in some way when they slept, usually curled around each other but Spencer wasn't there. Aaron frowned and opened his eyes. He looked to see that it was barely daylight, there still the dark of night holding onto the world. His frown deepened as he looked at where a note was sitting propped up against the picture frame that had been added by Jake to the room. It was one of the two of them, staring into each other's eyes like they were the only people in the world. Aaron still did not remember when Jake had snapped the picture, but it was there in all its glory. Aaron loved it, and so did Spencer but the not remembering that night was slightly vexing. Jake was an ass and wouldn't tell them when it was taken.

Leaning up to grab the letter, Aaron let his eyes focus on it. It was from Spencer obviously, and he was heading a little ways away to a Halloween shop that had opened that morning. Time had got away from him, and he hadn't realized it was so late in the month. Aaron looked at the calendar on the wall and saw it was only the third. Aaron shook his head and focused back on the letter. Spencer was going to be gone at least most of the morning if not part of the afternoon as well. Since they had only made dinner plans for that evening, Spencer didn't think that he would mind.

"Where did Spencer go so early?" Jake asked. He looked a little worse for the wear. Jake had still not been home when Aaron and Spencer had gone to bed so for him to be awake right now was a little weird.

"Out at a Halloween shop that opens this morning. Be prepared."

"Why? Oh, that's right he loves Halloween. Well, you know that I am up for anything that pisses off the old Maid across the street. She hates decorations and Spencer's Halloween ones will drive her up a wall." Jake leaned against the wall and looked at Aaron. "I fell asleep in my office at H&D about eight last night. My staff let me sleep until they were cleaned up and leaving. My car is still there as Jill dropped me off. I was hoping to talk one of you two into taking me so I could get it."

"Later," Aaron said before he rolled over and wrapped his arms around Spencer pillow to tug it under himself. He buried his face in the fabric of the pillowcase and inhaled the scent of his absent lover. Seconds later, a body slipped into bed with him, and Jake wrapped his arms around Aaron.

"Just a little more sleep?" Jake asked.

"Sure. then we can go to that breakfast place that you love and then drop you off at H&D." Aaron closed his eyes and basked in the warmth of Jake in his bed. Jake had crawled in a few times, sometimes cuddling Spencer, sometimes Aaron, and other's slipping between both of them to have cuddles from them both. Spencer had never even blinked at it and didn't care. Hell, some mornings when Aaron was out on a run, Aaron would come back to find Spencer across the hall in Jake's bed.

Spencer acceptance of Jake in his life was something that Aaron would never take for granted. Spencer knew the type of person that Aaron was and knew that he would never cheat. Aaron was not built that way. Even though he and Jake had been intimate before, Aaron would never stray, not that Jake would do it either. Jake was a stickler for that as well. Honesty and trust were his two big things.

Aaron closed his eyes again and settled in for a little more sleep before heading out to start the day without Spencer.

Breakfast was a lengthy affair as it always was with Jake. The breakfast restaurant that he loved was filled with regulars from H&D. The meal spread across two hours with the talking between plates from the bar. Aaron liked it because he got to talk that had nothing to do with work. The regulars knew Aaron as well.

"And where is that young man who has been coming into the restaurant with you, Aaron?" Mable, one of the sweet little old ladies who had an imagination that made Aaron blush on regular occasion.

"He's doing some shopping for Halloween. It's his favorite holiday."

"Oh, so the house will have more than the standard ghost in the window this year?" Mabel's husband Jacob asked.

"I think that the house will be utterly covered," Jake said with a smile.

"Good. That neighborhood needs some life more than the gossip about three men living together." Mabel was grinning, and Aaron was pretty damned sure that she was imaging the three of them naked together.

"And what exactly are they saying about the three of us living together?" Jake leaned forward, propping his elbow on the table and his head on his hand the picture of an attentive audience. Aaron laughed and slapped his shoulder.

"Scandalous things but then they always have, but now it's about you two corrupting that nice young man who blushes so prettily."

"Everything that boy does is pretty," Jacob said.

Everyone around them laughed at that.

"What is his name? The wait staff at H&D is very tight-lipped." Mabel looked at Aaron when asking that question.

"Supervisory Special Agent Doctor Spencer Reid," Aaron said because then at least Mabel might not pinch his ass the next time that she saw him.

"Told you he was a fed," Jacob said with a glare in Mabel's direction.

"You did. Damn. I was hoping to lure him away from Aaron here. He works with you?"

"Yes. Been an agent for nearly six years."

"Good for him. Well, we have to leave. Appointments with more gossipers." Jacob said as he stood up and then helped his wife get up.

Aaron watched them leave and just smiled at their retreating backs.

"So I've meant to ask, why is Halloween Spencer's favorite holiday. don't get me wrong, I love Halloween, but I would have thought he would like one of those weird and esoteric ones given his reading habits."

"Probably because of his-" Aaron stopped, and he was sure that his eyes widened to comical proportions. "Fuck."

"Aaron?" Jake asked as Aaron dropped his head down into his hands. "Aaron?"

"Miss Selena, do you have a calendar?" Aaron stood up and walked to the counter. The owner handed over the calendar that she grabbed from under the counter. "Jake."

Jake walked up to stand beside Aaron and looked down at the calendar. Aaron pressed his finger down on the next Friday.

"Yes, what about that date?" Jake asked.

"That's Spencer's birthday."

"How in the hell did you forget that his birthday is so close?" Jake asked as he punched Aaron in the shoulder.

"JJ's the one that sets up the parties for all of our birthdays. I have a notification on my phone for the day before, but that's not gonna be a workable date for a party."

"You want to do a party?" Jake asked.

"Yes. I know that he would be happy with something simple between the two of us but with everything over the past year, I want to do more than that. I want to show him a really good time. I've thought about it for the last month but it just never sunk in that his birthday was so early. I think I have it paired with Halloween in my head."

"It's a good thing that the banquet hall at H&D isn't booked isn't it?" Jake said.

"We don't have to do it there. We can probably do it at Dave's."

"Nonsense. What's the point in having a banquet hall for it to sit empty. So surprise birthday party for your beau at H&D. I'll handle the food if you handle the decorations and the guest list. Lisette is working right now. She's working on the Halloween flyers and other things for the party we do. We can talk to her about making invitations." Jake was grinning as he slipped in to lean on the counter beside Aaron. "We can have a lot of fun planning this if you don't work yourself into a frenzy."

"I'm not I just need to change my notification to where it tells me more than a day beforehand now. A simple gift bought quickly the night before it's not gonna cut it anymore. I know that Spencer won't care, but I do."

"Well then let's pay and then we can leave and see about getting things set up. There is no one in the banquet hall so we can go shopping for decorations while I ply you with questions about food. You have today off, so anything that will need to be bought needs to be done today while he's off and self-entertained."

"Here you boys go," Selena said as she handed over two to go cups full of coffee. "I've already put cream and sugar in yours,, Jake. Go have fun planning a party for your young man."

Aaron laid down the money needed to pay their food bill, his head swimming with thoughts of what he wanted to do for the party. It was going to be short notice for anything big, but a Halloween Mask would be fun. He could easily find a collection of masks to have on hand for the people who don't bring one. Formal wear so that costumes weren't needed.

Jake linked his arm with Aaron's as they exited the restaurant and headed toward where H&D was. Aaron's head was swimming, and he needed to start to write things down, but he needed to get his hand on the sheets that H&D for party planning. It helped Lisette know what to do. She would take care of making sure that most of the things were happening that needed to happen as far as decorations going up, food preparation and invitations were being received and RSVPs being made. Jake paid her a lot of money to work there to keep her but each event that happened usually garnered enough money to pay her for a month. It was rare that a week went by where there was not an event going on. Her dedication to detail for the parties that H&D put on made it the go-to place to have your party. Birthdays were big there but so weren't parties for elections and such. The hall had its own entrance, and so the main restaurant wasn't bothered by the in and out of guests. It also allowed for guards to be placed if needed.

"So orange and black?"

"Yes." Aaron was still lost in his own head, but he could at least answer a few questions from Jake.

"What about cake?"

"German Chocolate with the standard topping. Maybe thin piping of some kind on the top to make it festive. He likes that kind of cake more than anything else."

"Yeah, we can do pumpkins on the top. I know he doesn't like buttercream the best so the gel topping that doesn't have a lot of flavor would be the best bet. So cake or cupcakes?"

"Cupcakes would be good. You could arrange them in a pumpkin or a bat."

"Bat. We've done that one before. Pumpkins piped on top and arranged in a bat. That will be easy. Hearty finger foods?"

Aaron reached out and opened the back door to H&D not even realizing that they had gone that far. The kitchen was a flurry of getting ready for lunch. Jake's new lunch Sous Chef was reigning over her minions as they had been wanting to be called. Lisette was standing in the corner watching with a grin on her face. Jake waved at her, first in hell and then in a beckoning motion. Jake let go of Aaron and found the forms for the party. Aaron never could figure out Jake's organization when it came to those things in the folder in the basket on the wall in the kitchen. More copies were in the office, but sometimes they took calls while they were down in the kitchen, so it was best to not have to run up to the office to get them.

"What's going on?"

"It's Spencer's birthday on Friday."

"And you are just now working on it? Men."

"Hey, I forgot about it being so close. I have it in my head it's Halloween cause that Spencer's favorite holiday."

"Halloween themed?" Lisette asked as she took the papers from Jake and hopped up onto the unused counter to start to write. She pulled a pen from behind her ear. "Friday at seven. That should give you all the time to get ready. Now invitations?"

"I'll get out a list along with addresses as soon as I get home and email it to you. Thirty people."

"That's it?" Lisette looked up at him and was frowning.

"Intimate and Spencer really doesn't have a lot of people that he would want there more than the team and dates. A few other friends from the bureau. He was talking a few months back with Morgan about why he never does a dinner out with friends for his birthday. There is a couple that he's made friends with on the GWU campus that I need to try and find the info for."

"Oh, Alex and James Blake," Jake said and was smiling like he was proud of himself. "She's a linguistics professor."

"And an FBI agent. I have her info already. She used to be BAU. That will make that easy." Aaron was glad of that. At least there would not be too many there that couldn't find someone to talk to. All of them were going to be FBI agents it seemed. He wasn't shocked that Spencer had been drawn to Alex Blake. She was the kind of woman who was kind of perfect for a friend for Spencer. Aaron had never questioned that Spencer sought out people who were older than him. He had grown up too fast between his intelligence and what had happened with his mother and father. He was thrown into situations with those who were older than him and pushed to do a lot before he should have even had to have worried about what he wanted to do with his life.

The chatter between Lisette and Jake washed over Aaron as he tried to rack his brain for any other names that needed to be added. Aaron realized that between the two of them, there was only federal agent friends for Spencer and mostly for Aaron. Aaron had Jake and those who worked H&D, but Spencer had not got too close to any of them. Aaron hoped to change that, but it was going to be slow going. Spencer didn't make friends easily, but Aaron hoped that with time he would come out of his shell more and more with those who he did not work with.

"Jake's got the menu in hand, and I think I can get the room to be intimate even though it's made for more. Let's see. We have those black clothes from the fiftieth party that we did. I could make walls using those to make the room smaller. I'll get the guys up and see. I want those addresses, and I'll courier over the invites after getting your approval." Lisette made a notation on the paper in her lap before she looked at Aaron. "You and Jake need to get the decorations for the party. The ones we have are going up tomorrow morning for the inner restaurant. So you two need to do that today. I need to see what you have to know what else I need to get."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I have a place to get masks. I'll get an array of them, and we can do a fun little thing on Saturday nights where the wait staff wears them while working. The guests won't need to bring any. I'll have your work on ones for the two of you so one night this week is mine. I don't care what you have Spencer do. You are mine for an hour."

"Thursday Spencer has other plans. Does it need to be sooner?"

"No that works. I'll have the other masks commissioned first. They can have them done first and then work on the other two last. I'll pencil you in for Thursday. If you have a case, you are going to submit to whatever Jake decided. Thursday is the last day." Lisette glared at him.

Aaron raised his hands in surrender and nodded his head. He would maybe see about doing it on Monday. He might be able to talk Spencer into eating out and then wandering around after and leaving Spencer in the bookstore. He would be able to slip away for an hour then.

"I might be able to get away for an hour on Monday. Drop him off at that bookstore near H&D and then meet you. I'll text Jake on Monday and tell him if I can probably can't. We can eat dinner here."

"Good, I'll make sure your table stays free." Lisette made another note on the paper in front of her. She started to write a lot, and after a few seconds of that, she looked up. "You're are still here why?"

Aaron laughed and stepped up to kiss her cheek. "Thank you. Jake and I will go and get the decorations. I'll text Spencer, and I find out where he is. We can go there after he leaves."

"Good. That will work." Jake nodded in agreement.

"If you want to pay for it, I can send Rodney to pick it all up in the Jeep. You two just have the cars with you today. I know Jake left his here and I'm certain that Spencer took the Jeep. Jake said he was getting decorations."

"Yes, Spencer took Jake's Jeep."

Jake stepped up and thanked Lisette and handed over the sheets he had been writing on. He kept two and Aaron recognized them as the food ones, which until he was done picking the menu would be in Jake's hands.

"The night of the party, Aaron your only job will be to get Spencer here on time."

"I can do that." Aaron could do that. He would have to endure question after question. It would all be worth it though.

* * *

"If we are just going to H&D for my birthday dinner. Why did I have to get into a suit? Especially a fancy one like this?" Spencer asked as he looked at himself in the mirror. Aaron behind him after tying Spencer purple tie. His shirt was pale purple and the tie a deeper shade. Aaron was looking forward to slowly stripping him naked at the hotel down the road from H&D. Aaron has reserved a suite for them for Friday night. Aaron figured that both of them would be tipsy. There was a chauffeur service to the banquet hall and from and an open bar. Aaron one that he would never be able to top this one as far as birthdays went, but he was okay with that. He wanted this one to be memorable for Spencer beside that random cases the team had been called onto or were on.

"Because I want to see you in a suit. Isn't that enough of a reason?" Aaron settled his hands on Spencer's hips and tugged him back until their bodies were flush. "I love you in suits. I want to spend the evening thinking of stripping you out of it."

"We could just skip that evening and strip me now. I mean it's my birthday." Spencer was grinning at Aaron, and the look on his face said it all, he really meant it. He looked like he would entirely be okay with just staying home and getting naked. Aaron hoped that he liked what Aaron had planned just as much and while it might take a while, Spencer would get his naked bit at a later time, and they had all of tomorrow for it as well. Aaron had paid for the second night but hadn't planned on staying the whole day, he just didn't want to have to check out even at the late checkout if they wanted to stay longer in bed, getting room service.

"I have plans, and while they do involve stripping you naked at a later time, it's not now. This is your first birthday with us as a couple, let me spoil you."

"Fine." Spencer pouted at Aaron in the mirror, but his eyes were happy. He was enjoying himself greatly. Aaron wrapped his arms around Spencer's waist and stomach, hooking his chin over Spencer's shoulder. Spender turned his face to the side a little, pressing their cheeks together. "I'd do anything to make you happy."

"I know, and I feel the same." Aaron reached up and turned Spencer around to where he could kiss him. "Did you enjoy breakfast in bed?"

"I've told you three times that I did. Even if you did cook me pancakes with only a chef's apron on." Spencer smiled at Aaron before rubbing their noses together. Aaron caught his face and pulled him in for a kiss. Aaron knew that they were not in a rush. The text from the chauffeur had not come in yet, so she wasn't there. Aaron knew Sabrina well after Jake used her a lot of trips to and from the restaurant when they were drunk. Jake trusted few to drive him, so he kept a company on hand for that.

"And lunch?"

"Aaron, you are usually not this worried about things that you know that I love, what's wrong?"

"I just want to make sure that after this whole horrible year you are happy."

"You are enough. You and nothing more make this a wonderful year. Yes, I nearly died. Yes, I came online in a horrible manner and at a horrible time but if I hadn't teleported when I did, I would have been shot. That's enough to call it a good thing in my book. Who knows what would have happened if I had been shot. Where I would have been shot. Even if I had been, I would have been here with you. You and Jake would have cared for me. I would have been good, but it's nice not to be shot. I'm still under the effects of healing from anthrax, and so healing for my knee would have been slow."

"Still, I want to show you that I appreciate you and care about you. I want to show you that I love you."

"This doesn't show me that you love me anymorehan when you kiss me awake. Or when you hold me so that I don't teleport out in my sleep. When we relax on the couch, and you are watching some action movie, and I am reading. This is just a different aspect but no bigger than other expressions. I don't need the grand shows, but I know that you like them, so you want to do them."

"I do, and I'm glad that you indulge me."

"I'd indulge you in anything that you do."

Aaron heard the chime on his phone and ducked in to kiss Spencer before walking to answer it. It was the driver. "Ready?"

"Who is that?"

"Our ride. I plan to ply you with alcohol before I have my wicked way with you."

"Oh really?" Spencer asked, and he laughed as he walked to the window to look outside. The windows at the far side of the room looked into the front yard and at the opposite side was the one that looked into the backyard. The rest of the windows looked into the side yard. Spencer turned back around and looked at Aaron. "Thank you."

"You are welcome. You deserve everything that I am giving you, if for no other reason than no one has done it for you since your mother had lost herself. You are important to me. So let's go and have a good evening."

"Okay."

Aaron held out his hand, and Spencer slipped his into it and allowed Aaron to pull him from the room. Spencer stayed slightly behind him as the stairs were dark and they were both afraid of bouncing off of each other and taking the tumble, but when they got to the bottom floor, Spencer stepped up to tuck himself into Aaron's side. Aaron opened the door because it wasn't that cold out yet but Spencer would still catch a chill because of the night air, so he held up Spencer's jacket that went with the suit and Spencer turned around to allow Aaron to help him into it.

"You spoil me. You know that your birthday is coming up as well and I'm going to return the favor, right?" Spencer said.

"I look forward to it." Aaron was looking forward to it. He would gladly do whatever Spencer wanted for his birthday. He just really hoped that Spencer didn't stress himself to match this evening.

Sabrina was waiting with the back door open as Aaron and Spencer approached the back seat of the limo Spencer just shook his head. He said nothing. Aaron waved for Spencer to get inside first and he did with Aaron waiting until Sabrina started to walk around before he got inside. Aaron wanted to be on the way as soon as possible. He was a mass of nerves trying to figure out if Spencer was going to be upset at them not having a simple dinner with the two of them. Their masks were at the restaurant waiting on them.

Aaron shut the door and looked at Spencer who was looking at the bucket of ice with a bottle of champagne and two glasses inside of it. Aaron could only grin at that, but Spencer didn't hesitate to open the bottle. It was a small and outstanding brand that was reserved for extraordinary occasions in the Durham/Hotchner residence. Aaron would not tell Spencer how much it cost unless he asked. There was only enough for four glasses in the bottle. Spencer laughed as the cork popped, but he stopped it from flying off into the limo. Spencer poured them both a glass each before setting the bottle back down and cuddling into Aaron's side as he handed off Aaron's glass.

"You know this is my first time in a limo," Spencer said after he took his first sip of the champagne. He smiled and took a second bigger drink. Aaron would sip at his to allow Spencer three glasses. He was sure that he would be able to sneak that in. Aaron sipped at his glass, rolling the liquid over his tongue.

Aaron opened his mouth to talk but stopped because he was about to ask a foolish question. He shook his head to clear it and laughed before turning to look at Spencer. "Well, I'm glad to share this first with you."

"You were about to ask about Prom weren't you?" Spencer asked.

"Yes. Because that's when a lot of kids ride in a limo the first time, but you were twelve and probably had no want to go to Prom."

"No, I stayed at home, but I wasn't going to be allowed to go anyway. The school had deemed it a risk with my age and the few things that had happened that they couldn't deny. Instead of stopping the bullies from going, I was blocked. It was fine because I had a lot more fun with what I was doing than standing in a corner and watching everyone else have fun. Though watching them all get drunk when the punch was spiked three times might have been worth it. Might."

"It's not. I was there for that part, and it was just painful to see them all get rip-roaring drunk but having no way to combat it and just puking in the corner or passing out. I was a fly on the wall as well at Prom, but that was mainly because I didn't care to get involved, but I went to Prom to make Mother happy. She got the picture of me to show off with the girl I took. I can't even remember her name. She was picked out for me by Mother, and I took her to make her happy. She wasn't a bad lady, but she was very vapid, and all she cared about was how she looked and that she was seen."

"Wow. You know I always wondered what they actually cared about? I mean was it making themselves feel better or was it just that they didn't care? Unfortunately, I never got to talk to them long enough to figure that out. Though, who wants to talk to someone like that. There is a reason that I never tried to do anything with my further degrees into the mind more than just working for the BAU. I don't think I would be good at that kind of thing."

"You'd be good at studying them but helping them, not so much." Aaron refilled Spencer's glass with more champagne and poured a little into his. Spencer drank the glass a little faster than the one before, and Aaron offered the bottle and Spencer gladly held his out, and Aaron poured the last in. He settled the bottle back down and looked out to see that they were nearly there. Lisette was standing outside the door to the banquet hall with their masks in hand. She stepped up to the limo as it pulled up and opened the door. Aaron got out after draining his glass and setting it in the bucket.

"Aaron?" Spencer asked he took in the door they were at. Aaron didn't answer him but took the mask from Lisette and settled it onto Spencer's face. Aaron put his on and held out his arm. Spencer linked his arm with it, and they started forward into the banquet hall.


	16. Chapter 15

# Chapter 15

## Early October 2009

Spencer didn't mind talking about the past anymore, with Aaron by his side it never hurt as much as it used to. He wasn't sure if Aaron felt the same but Aaron was more cagey, and the abuse of his childhood was vastly different. They had touched on it that day they talked about Aaron's mutant abilities, but that was it. Spencer didn't know if Aaron would ever tell Spencer everything, but he didn't care if Aaron did. Spencer was paying attention to the outside, and he frowned when the limo driver took them down a street that would have them coming up on the wrong side of the building to be dropped off at the valet parking for H&D. Spencer looked at Aaron who noticed it as well, his eyes going outside the window.

Then a woman stepped up to the limo as they pulled up to a set of doors that Spencer hadn't been through before. Given the layout of H&D, Spencer knew that it had to be the door for the banquet hall. Spencer really hoped that they were not eating alone in that big place. It was a beautiful banquet hall, but it was made for parties, not an intimate meal. The woman was holding a set of masks, and while Spencer did like the look of them, they were just confusing him more.

Aaron was out of the limo first, and he drained his glass, so Spencer did the same. Then Aaron was holding his hand out to help Spencer out of the limo. Spencer felt that he should know the woman but the mask that she was wearing was blocking that. He figured that once she talked to them, he would know.

"Aaron?" Spencer asked but Aaron didn't reply, he just settled the mask over Spencer's face and wrapped the strap around the back of his head. It felt perfect and wasn't too heavy. Aaron put his on next and then held out his hand. Spencer linked his with Aaron's and let Aaron pull him forward. Spencer felt himself start to get worked up because he was confused. He felt his arm start to not feel Aaron's in the usual way anymore and he forced his mind to concentrate on staying whole. He needed to because he was not going to Spencer the night phased out and not touching anyone. There was a second set of doors inside of the banquet hall, and those were pulled shut. The doors behind were shut and then the woman walked up with them. The sounds of music, haunting, creepy, yet lively music on the other side of the door.

When she passed by Spencer recognized that it was Lisette, the party planner, and hostess that Jake had on staff for H&D. She was lovely and very good at what she did. Spencer swallowed because he was pretty sure that there was some kind of party on the other side of the doors.

"Breathe," Aaron said. "Just breathe."

"Who is in there?" Spencer asked.

"Only the people you like I promise. I was very careful with who I invited." Aaron laid his free hand over Spencer's arm that was linked with his, and he gave a squeeze. Aaron nodded his head, and Lisette opened the door.

Spencer's eyes took in everything and then started to process everything except for the people. The inside of the banquet hall looked smaller than it usually did. There were black curtains that were linked to the ceiling and created fake walls. The music was coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once. Spencer wondered if the speakers were laid just behind the walls made by the curtains. There was a small pathway that Spencer remembered went to the bathrooms at the one back end of the hall.

The entire hall looked like a Halloween shop blew up in it, and it was wonderful looking. Spencer saw decorations from the shop that he had gone to the weekend before and he now understood why Aaron had wanted the address of the place. Aaron had to have done a lot of shopping the weekend before because Spencer knew that he nor Jake had time to do it before that. The only day was last Saturday when Spencer had been first shopping to get the house Halloweenified as Jake had called it and then actually setting everything up. Spencer turned and buried his face in Aaron's neck, feeling the tears start to fall down his face. Aaron wrapped his arms around him and made nonsense noises that should not have made Spencer feel better, but they did. The mask was pressing into Spencer's face and ha to be doing the same to Aaron, but Aaron didn't stop him, didn't say anything.

"Is it okay?" Aaron asked when Spencer's tears started to subside.

Spencer nodded his head in the curve made by Aaron's neck, he wasn't ready to talk yet, the mask rubbed on Spencer's face, but he didn't care. The team had done a small cake thing early in the afternoon and given Spencer a few presents, but Spencer's eyes recalled the pile of them on a table in the corner of the hall. It was way too much. Too many gifts, too many emotions. Spencer felt a hand on his back and then JJ's arms were wrapping around him. She laid her head between his shoulder blades. She had to be slightly overwhelmed with Spencer's emotions just bleeding all over the place as well as the emotions of the rest of the people in the room. Next was a strong hand on his back, tugging him out of Aaron's hold. It was Morgan.

"Come on, Pretty Boy, we haven't even got to the worst party yet." Morgan was grinning, and his words made Spencer laugh. JJ tucked herself into his side as Aaron wrapped his arms around Spencer's shoulders.

"The worst part?" Spencer asked.

"Oh, yes. See as soon as we got the invitation JJ called your Mom, and she gave over pictures of you as a kid to one of the nurses." Morgan waved his hand, and the pictures appeared on the black curtain walls. There was a picture from every single birthday that Spencer had. Including the ones from the BAU and the damned hat that JJ took and Spencer mailed to his mother. Spencer looked at every single one until he got to the one that Aaron had to have taken that morning of Spencer in bed eating. Each image was projected onto a hanging paper tombstone to give them the creepy feel even though every single one had a smile on Spencer's face.

"You guys did too much."

"No," JJ said with a grin, and she squeezed Spencer's body tighter. "We need to celebrate the fact that you are still with us and happy and healthy after everything that's happened this past year. So buck up and enjoy all of us celebrating you and the day you came to us."

A waiter with a tray of drinks stepped up to them. Whatever the drink was, it was purple. Spencer took one and took a sip. It was a Mimosa. The rest of the team lined up for hugs and in the case of Rossi, kisses on Spencer's cheeks. Jake was next, and he one-upped them all by kissing Spencer soundly on the mouth while Aaron muttered, good-naturedly.

"No tongue," Aaron said as he pulled Spencer out of Jake's arms. The rest of the guests laughed, but as Spencer looked at them, a few were a little shocked.

Word had spread through the FBI about Aaron and Spencer, and no one had batted an eye. Like Rogers said they had always just got each other. Every single BAU team was a little closer than they should be but that didn't mean anything. When the enemy was the worst of the worst, one had to trust the person who had their back, and that meant tighter bonds than normal. Aaron and Spencer were just a progression of that as Rogers had said.

The other BAU teams were there including Rogers and Melendez, who Aaron still had not quite forgiven them for nearly getting Spencer killed. There were a few other people that Spencer considered friends who were not BAU members.

"Alex!" Spencer said as Alex and James Blake stepped up. Alex hugged Spencer tightly, and James shook Aaron's hand. Spencer listened as James just talked and didn't introduce himself.

"Alex, James, this is-" Spencer stopped when Alex leaned in, and Aaron kissed her cheek, they were both smiling.

"I was very shocked to get anything from you, Hotch," Alex said with a smile.

"You two know each other?" Spencer asked.

"We worked together some before Strauss blackballed her. I fought it every single step of the way but I was not high enough at the time for my words to make an impact and no one else stepped up," Aaron said as he wrapped his arm around Spencer's shoulder to tuck them in close again. "I have had their address and send them Christmas cards. You've talked about friends at GWU, and I didn't put two and two together. Jake had their names and well it wasn't hard from there."

"I was just happy to be actually in America at the time of the party. I would have hated to have missed this," James said with a grin on his face.

Spencer downed his Mimosa to set it down on the tray of a waiter who was collecting empties. Spencer spotted a waiter who had food on his tray. There was also a table set up near the hole in the curtains for the restrooms that had more robust finger foods on them as well as more drinks. Spencer was not going to ask about the cost. Spencer had stopped asking questions like that very early on. Aaron had money, and he didn't put a significant value on it other than using it to make people he loved happy. Spencer figured that it would be a matter of time before the Amazon was loving stored where Spencer could still work on it but have a better car to drive, though really Spencer didn't drive too many places. Jake had a sports car that he used to go to and from work and a Jeep for when he needed to haul things.

Aaron didn't buy affections, he showed his affections with money, and Spencer sometimes wanted to ask where that had come from. The little that Aaron talked about his parents, it could very much have come from watching his father buy gifts for his mother after fights or abuse. Though it also could have been the woman that had dumped Aaron after finding out that he was a Mutant. Aaron only talked about her in general terms. Jake had used her name once, Haley but that was the only thing that Spencer knew about her. She was taboo, but then what Spencer knew, Aaron had loved her.

Spencer knew a lot about Aaron, but one of the big things was that he didn't love except for one way, all the way. It wasn't any wonder with the type of man that he was. While Aaron saw the world in many shades of gray, in his personal life, it was very much an all or nothing. He liked you, or he didn't.

There was no dancing, which Spencer was glad about but there were games and prizes for those games. None of the games were ones that would harm the very formal clothes that everyone was wearing. Spencer liked Aaron's choices with the masks and the fancy dress. If this was planned in a week, it was a good way of making sure that people came vs. didn't come because they did not have a Halloween costume yet. It was very early in the season.

"I didn't see cars in the banquet hall lot," Spencer said after they had made their round of looking at everything.

"No, everyone was picked up in either the limo or one of the two town cars that are being rented for tonight. The only people who are not drinking is the two BAU teams that are on rotation for tonight if a case should arise. Still, I felt that they should not be treated as different. I even hired babysitters for the families that needed them. JJ and Will especially like that."

"So what are the plans for the evening or are those still a secret?" Spencer asked.

"Oh, they are very much a secret. We still have many games to play, stories to tell, a lot of food to eat, presents to open, and then it's time for the cake. After that, will be kept a secret until such a time as I decide to tell you."

"You are mean," Spencer said, and he poked Aaron in the chest. Aaron caught his hand as it was retreating and used it to tug Spencer close. Spencer expected to be kissed, but instead, he was tugged in between curtains into a very dark area. Spencer swallowed sharply because his old fear of the dark, his fear of blindfolds started to press into him. Before Spencer could freak out enough to teleport to freedom or phase so he could run, Aaron was kissing him. Spencer gave himself over to that kiss to help settle his nerves. Aaron's hands were sure on his body, touching him in all the places that only aroused Spencer a little, enough to make him want but not enough to ache.

The party passed in a blur of having too much fun and drinking too much alcohol. Aaron did not leave Spencer's side except when one of them excused themselves to go to the bathroom. Spencer knew that he wasn't sloshed, but he was drunk enough to where he didn't want to let go of Aaron's arm even before the cupcakes that made up his cake were brought out. The harder drinks also made their rounds at that time along with water. After the cupcakes had been consumed, the guests started to leave in small groups. BAU teams left in whole groups while the others did it based on where they were living.

"Ready to go?" Aaron asked when it was just the waitstaff and Jake left other than them. Jake still had the restaurant to close down and oversee the cleaning of the food up in the banquet hall.

"I am very ready to go home and have you thoroughly debauch me," Spencer said as he slung his arms around Aaron's neck to stop himself from falling over. Aaron laughed and wrapped his arms around Spencer's waist.

"I asked if you were ready to go, I never said anything about home. We are going just a short distance away. Don't worry the limo will take us."

Spencer felt something on his back and let go of Aaron to turn, but he realized that it was someone putting his jacket on him. Spencer moved his arms to get them in the sleeves. Spencer turned when he was fully dressed and found that it was Jake.

"I think next time that Aaron wants to get you drunk, we should be at home where I can talk you into a song where you strip naked while dancing." Jake was looking Spencer up and down as he said it but there was nothing but humor in his eyes.

"Bring that up the next time you want sex, and we shall see what happens."

"Okay, I think it's time to get Spencer to bed." Aaron gently pulled Spencer with him to the door. Spencer though just looked at Jake's face as the man tried to figure out if Spencer was joking or not. Spencer wasn't sure himself if he was joking or not.

The limo was waiting outside, and the lady from before was standing with the door open. Instead of going around and getting in like she ha a the house when she had picked them up. She stayed and shut the door after Spencer and then Aaron got in. There was no champagne this time, but there was water. Spencer drank two bottles in the very short drive to one of the nicer hotels in the area. He could feel himself start to sober up some and was glad that Aaron had not had them walk even though it would have been easy to do. The walk might have been nice, but Spencer didn't want to do that.

Spencer held onto Aaron's arm for dear life as they walked through the hotel and right to the elevators. Spencer was confused until he saw the keycard for the room in Aaron's hand.

"Jake check us in?" Spencer asked when the elevator doors opened to allow them inside.

"Yes. My job was to get you to H&D, and that was it. Jake and Lisette had the rest under control."

The elevator doors opened, and Aaron walked and tugged Spencer with him. Spencer had no clue which room they were in so he gladly followed along beside him. It was late enough that there was no one in the hall, which Aaron took advantage of as he pressed Spencer into the door to kiss him.

This wasn't like the kiss from earlier. Aaron devoured Spencer's mouth, leaving no area not touched by his tongue and no place on Spencer's body that he could reach untouched. Spencer wasn't sure what Aaron was going to do until he did it. Until Spencer felt fingers on his pants zipper and that zipper being tugged down.

"Aaron!" Spencer hissed as he tried to grab at the top of Aaron's head as he went down. Spencer missed though and shuddered as Aaron took his cock into his mouth before taking him all the way down to the root. Spencer couldn't help the thrust that he made into the heat of Aaron's mouth, and Aaron just moved with it before he grabbed Spencer's hips and pressed them to the door. Spencer bit his lip to stop himself from screaming out as Aaron started to bob and suck and just go all out on Spencer's cock. It felt like Aaron's goal was to suck him off as quick as possible. Spencer felt himself get to that ledge quicker than he wanted but also not nearly fast enough given that they were in public.

Spencer's hips came off the door, even with Aaron holding him there as he came down Aaron's throat. Aaron kept up the pressure and the sucking until Spencer grabbed his hair to pull him off. Aaron stood up, rubbing his body along Spencer's cock making him hiss in too much pleasure before he claimed Spencer's mouth again. Spencer could taste himself on Aaron's tongue as theirs tangled in Spencer's mouth. Aaron's cock was hard and pressing into Spencer's hip, reminding him that Aaron had said that morning that he wanted to fuck Spencer into the mattress that night.

Wrenching his mouth away from Aaron's, Spencer nipped at his bottom lip before forcing Aaron to look at him. "Come on and fuck me."

"It would be my absolute pleasure," Aaron said. He wrapped his arm around Spencer's waist and hefted him up to where Spencer could wrap his legs around Aaron's waist. Spencer caught Aaron's mouth after he heard the beep that signaled that Aaron had got the door open. The slam that happened next made Spencer jump a little, but he didn't care. Aaron didn't even pause at all in stride to get them the bed. They didn't stop until Spencer was being dropped down.

Spencer got settled and pushed to where he could get his pants off. The time for finesse could come later, he might have just orgasmed, but he was far from sated. Spencer watched Aaron's face as he stripped. Aaron was watching him very closely. It had Spencer feeling like he was on fire, his blood was rushing through his veins as he worked his shoes off first. Nothing was going to happen until those were off. As he worked his belt off, he toed off his socks. Spencer was a little shocked that he had as much dexterity as he did. Spencer got his pants down to his knees before he curled his legs up to push them down the other side. As soon as they were bunched at his feet, Aaron pulled them off of him. Spencer was still wearing his jacket, his suit jacket, shirt, and undershirt so he sat up on the bed to get off the two outer layer pieces and tossed to them to the side before laying back to work his shirt open. Aaron spurred himself into action as Spencer got about halfway through the buttons on his shirt before he started to strip naked.

Aaron did not take off his shoes first, so he danced a little to try and get them off with his pants around his knees. Spencer took his time with the rest of his clothes and was leaning up to get his undershirt off when Aaron was kneeing up onto the bed and grabbing the back of his head. Spencer gladly went into that kiss. Spencer might have been feeling a little drunk from the alcohol but that was quickly leaving him, and all he was feeling was arousal.

Spencer could feel that Aaron's control was slipping and everywhere that his hands touched, Spencer felt the spark from lightning there. Even where Aaron's lips kissed as he kissed down Spencer's body there was more than just heat there. Spencer felt Aaron's hands hook under his knees and then they were being lifted. Spencer grabbed the headboard to stop himself from sliding up, and Aaron kissed down from knees to the groin before going back up the other side. Spencer wasn't even aware of Aaron getting lube before slick fingers were pressing inside of him just enough to lube him up and then pulling out. Spencer tipped his head down to watch as Aaron scooted just that much closer before taking his cock in hand and slipping inside of Spencer. Aaron grabbed Spencer's legs again when the head of his cock popped inside of Spencer and he could push in without guidance anymore.

Aaron leaned all the way over, pressing Spencer thighs into his chest and spreading them as far as possible so that he could lean up and kiss him. Spencer grabbed the back of Aaron's head and kept him right there as he took all of Aaron's cock inside of him. Aaron finally let go of Spencer's legs and braced his arms on the bed, never trying to separate their mouths as they fucked and kissed. Aaron thrust inside of him as hard and as fast as he could while Spencer held onto the back of his head and held onto him with his other hand trying to find purchase on Aaron's back.

It could have been hours or minutes, Spencer wasn't sure. He couldn't keep track of breaths that he took or thrusts of Aaron's cock inside of him. All he could keep track of was the feel of Aaron's hands on his skin when Aaron finally started to touch him again. The spark and slight pain when something felt really good, and Aaron's abilities reacted to it. Aaron broke the kiss to get his knees under him all the way, and he thrust inside of Spencer hard, coming. Aaron's hands were like brands on Spencer's hips, and the feel of them tipped Spencer over before Aaron was even finished.

Spencer held onto himself so that he did not fall down through the bed, he had good control of that now, but sometimes it felt a little shaky. When he was sure that he wasn't going to go anywhere, Spencer tugged on Aaron to drop him down on top of him. Spencer could breathe under his weight, and it was nice. Aaron had not liked it at first, afraid he was going to hurt Spencer but Spencer had endured.

"Good birthday?" Aaron asked as he turned his head to where he could at least look at Spencer, resting his cheek on Spencer's shoulder. Soon they would have to get up and shower but not yet. For now, they could just cuddle in bed.

"A very good birthday."

"Jake has a picture of you eating one of those sandwiches with the sauce to mail to your mother. So she can add it to the album of you on your birthday. There was also footage taken, and Garcia is going to edit and send that along as well so that she more than just an image. It's of you playing all of your games and a lot of touching by me. Garcia won't send it along until you tell her to."

"Why?" Spencer asked as he bounced his shoulder a little. Aaron got his arm underneath himself to where he could look down at Spencer. Spencer frowned at the frown that was creasing Aaron's forehead. He did not understand why Aaron was frowning. He also really did not understand why Garcia would not send the video to his mother. Spencer reached up and brushed at the hair that had escaped the hold that Aarons gel had on it from Spencer tangling his fingers in it. He tried to get it to stay away from Aaron's forehead because with ii messy he didn't look like Aaron at all. He pushed it a little harder and finally, it stayed up in the rest of Aaron's hair.

"What have you told your mother about us?" Aaron asked.

"Oh, I've told her all about you and about Jake. Well, not everything as she does not need to know about my sex life. She knows how much both of you have helped me get control of my abilities. She knows that I'm living with my partner and his best friend. She knows everything. I would never keep anything like that from her. Ever. She doesn't deserve that. Even though she's not all there all the time, she deserves to know everything that happens in my life. That's why I write to her every single day. I didn't realize that you thought I was keeping it from her."

"You've not talked to me about her. You've not said much other than when you are telling me you are going to write the letter to her when we get home while Jake or I cook dinner. I just assumed that you had not told her."

"No, I wrote her a letter the day you asked me out. I told her about the entire date. I keep nothing from her. Well I have said one thing about my sex life to her and that was when I went through the floor but that was mainly because I hurt myself a little and was bruised up and I didn't want her to think that something else was going on if I talked about being sore in the next few letters, which I was if you remember."

"Yes, I do remember. You were very sore for days. I kept you in bed so that you didn't hurt yourself more. Though we had a lot of fun in the bed over those days." Aaron leaned down to brush his lips over Spencer's before he nipped at Spencer's ear. He laid down again but settled down a little with his head over sPencer's heart. Spencer carded his fingers through Aaron's hair until he felt like he was going to go to sleep and stopped that movement. He didn't need to fall asleep covered in his own release with Aaron's dripping out of him. He reached down and pinched his leg to wake himself up a little, and Aaron laughed as he always did when Spencer did it.

Aaron laughed a little harder when Spencer pinched his ass in retaliation. "Why don't we go and shower?" Aaron asked.

"Sure. I think the hot water will do good on my body."

Aaron slid off of Spencer but did not get off of the bed, not until Spencer had got off and started toward the bathroom. Aaron started to strip the bed, Spencer, that there was a new set of covers stacked in the corner. Spencer wondered how often they would change them out throughout the night. Aaron might be older than Spencer, but he kept up with Spencer pretty good, and if he wasn't hard, he still played with Spencer until he was and then they kept on going. The sex was satisfying, but it was more than just that. Yes, they had a lot of it, but it wasn't the basis of the relationship. It was just part of what made them, them.

Spencer was just getting under the water that was so hot that the room was full of steam when he heard Aaron shutting the bathroom door and then the door to the shower was opening. Aaron wrapped himself around Spencer and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. Spencer stayed right there and let Aaron's hands touch him all over. Aaron liked to see where he left marks just as much as Spencer like to see them. Aaron's hands found a bruise from the training that he had done the day before with Morgan, it was a deep and dark already. Spencer hissed as Aaron's fingers pressed into it.

"Okay?" Aaron asked.

"Yes, it doesn't hurt more than any other bruise I've gotten before. I missed my teleportation landing by two inches and fell. I'm better though. I can do it with only a few inches being off. Which is a great deal better than before where I got not close at all. Walmond's friend was good even if he had never worked with teaching a teleporter."

"That is a lot better. I'm very happy, but I didn't notice the bruise earlier."

"The room was a little dark, and you were above me. I mean you only turned on the overhead light when you stripped. Also, please tell me that you brought clothes for me with you?"

"Yes, I did. They were packed up, and Jake took them into work. They are in the front room I assume. Though..." Aaron's hands trailed down Spencer's body before crowding him under the water just a little more. "You being naked all day tomorrow would be kind of nice. I have this place booked through Sunday. We don't have to stay tomorrow night, I just didn't want to have to check out at a certain time."

"We can play it by ear, but unless you want me doing the walk of shame in the suit, you had better make sure that we have clothes."

"We would both be doing the walk of shame, Spencer."

Aaron handed over a rag and allowed Spencer to start to clean himself up. They shared the water, pushing each other out of the way when the other needed it. It was fun in a way that Spencer never thought showering together could be. Living with Aaron and Jake was different than Spencer ever thought that it could be. There was no jealousy at all for the closeness between the two of them, and they both let him be with them when he wanted but allowed him time to himself when he needed it. There were moments of silence and moments of laughter to fill those silences. There was a body to get into bed with even if Aaron wasn't home and that was kind of one of the best feelings in the world.

There was always going to be people who did not understand how Spencer could live with a past lover of Aaron's but Spencer could see in the way that Jake was with Aaron that neither of them pined after each other. If Jake needed sex, he would ask Aaron and Spencer before going out and finding someone else. Emotional monogamy was more important than sexual to Spencer, and if Jake really needed, he was pretty sure that he would be okay with Aaron helping him. It had been their standard for years, and Spencer didn't really care.

Morgan had been the one that Spencer worried about the most but he had accepted Aaron's change in status with ease, just like he had Spencer's and the whole living Jake thing had barely been a blip on his radar. Spencer had feared that he was going to lose Morgan even though Spencer had said for years that he was confident that he was not online. Spencer felt Aaron's hands on his shoulders, turning him around in the shower. He grinned as Aaron started to kiss him. They were both too tired for it to become more but it was like Aaron knew that Spencer's thoughts were turning to things that were not entirely happy and was wanting to cheer him up.

"Where did you go?" Aaron asked when he pulled out of the kiss.

"Not too far, just a little into the past," Spencer said with a very sappy smile on his lips. "Just thinking about how this was not where I thought I would be, ever. Despite the hell of what the past year was, I'm happy with where I am because I have you."

"Same here, Spencer Reid. Same here."

# The End

**Author's Note:**

> I write fanfiction for fun. It's a hobby and a stress relief. I refuse to stress over my writing. What you see is what you get. Errors, plot holes, and all. Thank you for reading my story!
> 
> I can be found on MeWe [here](https://mewe.com/i/beccaqueen1), join me there and we can discuss my fics and whatnot.


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